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Common questions

What is PrimaryBid?

PrimaryBid is a regulated capital markets technology platform connecting public companies to their communities during fundraisings.

Our platform recognises that individual investors represent an important but often overlooked component of a share register. By helping public companies engage, empower, and enfranchise individual investors, we are evolving financial markets through technology.

When will I receive my shares or bonds?

The earliest time you are able to receive your shares or bonds in your broker account is on the admission date and timing for transfers may vary depending on the processing time of your broker.

The admission date is the date your new shares or bonds are created and this is decided on by the issuing company. You can find the admission date in your allocation email and also in the ‘Conditions’ section within the offer in our app or online.

If you have been allocated shares or bonds, we then have to contact your broker with your allocation and personal details to begin the transfer process.

Your broker will need to confirm if they are able to take the shares or bonds and they’ll need to make sure your personal details match their own records. At this stage, your broker will reject the transfer if the information you have provided is not correct or if they can’t accept the transfer for any other reason. We’ll contact you in this instance.

Remember, your broker account must:

  • Be a General Investment Account (sometimes referred to as a dealing or funds and shares account) - we can’t transfer any shares or bonds directly into an ISA or a SIPP Account due to HMRC regulations.
  • Be a sole account in your name only - most brokers aren’t able to accept transfers into joint accounts.

Match the details that your broker holds - this includes your full name and address.

If you need to edit your details after you’ve applied to an offer, please update it in the PrimaryBid app or online and contact our team as soon as possible. You can contact us here.

If your transfer is accepted, your broker will agree a Trade and Settlement Date with us. The Settlement Date is the date that your shares or bonds settle with your broker (this can only be on or after the admission date reference above). Your broker then has to allocate the shares or bonds to your account. Timing for this may vary depending on the processing time of your broker.



What does it mean when you cannot verify my account?

If we cannot verify your identity automatically, you may be asked to provide further information before we can activate your account. In such cases, we aim to verify your account manually within one working day and may ask for evidence of your identity, such as a copy of your passport and/or recent proof of your address, in order to do this.

Why has my payment been declined?

The most common reasons for an unsuccessful payment are:

  • The address on your PrimaryBid account is different to the one which your debit card is registered to with your bank.
  • Attempting to pay with a credit card – we only accept debit cards.
  • The payment has been declined by your bank. We advise you to notify your bank of the transaction before attempting it, especially if you are applying for a large amount.
  • Insufficient funds in your debit card account.

For all declined payments, we suggest you contact your bank first. If you are still experiencing payment issues, please contact our customer service team here.

How do I create a PrimaryBid account?

It is quick and easy to sign up for a PrimaryBid account. We will perform some simple onboarding checks and ask for some additional information before you can begin participating in PrimaryBid offers.

When signing up for a PrimaryBid account, we will ask you for the following information:

Name
Address
Telephone Number
Date of Birth
Nationality
National Insurance Number
Broker / General Investment Account Number

Please note that your broker account should be a General Investment Account in your sole name and not an ISA or SIPP account.

How do I apply for shares or bonds?

You can apply for shares or bonds in an offer via the PrimaryBid app or online using a debit card.

Our payment provider is Worldpay, and all transactions will appear on your bank statement as PRIMARYBID. Once you have completed the transaction, you will receive an email from PrimaryBid confirming your payment. If you do not complete the payment for any reason, you will need to restart the application. Neither PrimaryBid nor Worldpay store your payment details and if a payment is unsuccessful you will not be charged.

If you do not receive an application confirmation email from PrimaryBid, your application is unconfirmed, and you will not receive an allocation.

Can I get a refund of the shares or bonds I applied for?

Once an application for shares has been made and accepted via PrimaryBid, an application cannot be withdrawn. We don't offer refunds on applications. Please ensure that you read the Terms and Conditions as well as the offer details carefully before applying for shares or bonds.

Can I change my broker details?

You can change your broker details at any time either in the app or by logging in online. Go to ‘Account’ then ‘Broker Details’.

However, please note that changing your broker details here does not take immediate effect. Changing your broker details after you receive an allocation confirmation on a particular offer will only change the transfer destination of your shares or bonds for future offers in which you participate and not for that particular offer. If you’d like to change your details following your allocation confirmation, please update them in the app or online and then let us know via the contact form here. If you do change your details after applying for shares or bonds, this may delay settlement of your security.

We take the security of your personal data very seriously. If you would like to change your broker details, you must log into the app or online and make any necessary edits yourself. PrimaryBid is unable to update your broker details on your behalf.

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