The LSE “Access Bonds” Launch: Franck Rijk on a New Era for Retail Debt

By Franck Rijk, Welford Capital

A landmark shift in the UK capital markets occurred on January 19, 2026, with the official launch of the Access Bonds framework on the London Stock Exchange. Franck Rijk, a leading advisor at Welford Capital, believes this regulatory overhaul—driven by the FCA’s new Prospectus Rules—is the most significant change for retail bond investors in a generation.

“The introduction of Access Bonds means that corporate debt is no longer the exclusive playground of institutional giants,” says Franck Rijk. These “Plain Vanilla” bonds allow individual investors to buy into major UK companies with denominations as low as £1. At Welford Capital, Franck Rijk is already integrating these high-liquidity assets into client portfolios. “By reducing the minimum entry point, Access Bonds allow for much more granular diversification across Investment-Grade Corporate Bonds and High-Yield Debt,” Franck Rijk adds. Welford Capital views this as a vital tool for 2026 portfolio resilience.