In just five years, Rachel Ann Buscall has transformed from small business owner to CEO of an award-winning alternative investments introducer.
Her trajectory coincides with explosive growth in the UK’s alternative investment sector, now representing roughly £1.7 trillion of the £10 trillion managed from the UK, according to 2024 industry data. The question is whether this rapid ascent reflects genuine expertise or simply fortunate timing in a booming market.
As CEO and co-founder of New Capital Link, Rachel Buscall operates in a financial sector that few British investors truly understand, despite 58% of UK investors holding at least one alternative investment in 2023. While the firm has collected industry accolades including Alternative Investment Provider of the Year, the fundamental question remains: what exactly does an investment introducer do, and who benefits most from the arrangement?
With PwC forecasting approximately $27.6 trillion globally to be allocated to alternative asset classes by 2028, and 86% of asset management professionals expecting alternatives to become a significant portion of retail portfolios within five years, Rachel Buscall has positioned herself at the centre of a booming sector.
Boom markets have historically attracted both genuine opportunity and problematic operators.
From Chelmsford Enterprise to Financial Services
Rachel Buscall’s path to leading New Capital Link Limited began far from London’s financial district.
According to Companies House records and available public information, her career started in the hair and beauty sector before she opened a tea room business in Chelmsford. The business, which operated for several years, provided what Rachel describes as invaluable entrepreneurial experience.
“Running the tearoom taught me about tangible value,” she states in a company interview. “You can’t hide behind jargon when a customer is waiting for their lunch or when a supplier needs to be paid. It taught me the vital importance of cash flow, reputation, and building real relationships.”
According to the New Capital Link website, the enterprise was sold after successful operation. Companies House filing history shows the business closed in 2019, though specific details of the sale remain private. This hands-on business experience, Rachel Buscall argues, gives her insight that many in the financial services sector lack.
After the tea room, Rachel’s career shifted to Dubai, where she worked with precious metals investment firms. By 2020, she had returned to the UK and founded New Capital Link, positioning herself as a sophisticated investor advocate despite having no publicly documented formal financial qualifications.
It’s a career trajectory that would have been nearly impossible in traditional wealth management.
Qualifications and regulatory approvals create substantial barriers to entry in that world. The introducer model, operating outside direct FCA regulation, provides an alternative path.
The Introducer Business Model: Regulatory Grey Zones
New Capital Link operates as an introducer under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
This business activity exists in what some describe as regulatory limbo. As an introducer rather than an authorised financial adviser, Rachel Buscall at New Capital Link connects high-net-worth and sophisticated investor clients with opportunities including loan notes, early-stage ventures, property development, and private equity.
Crucially, this structure means NCL doesn’t authorise investments, doesn’t provide regulated financial advice, and doesn’t fall under the same oversight as traditional wealth managers.
The firm describes its role as providing “access to meticulously vetted opportunities” while maintaining that investors make their own independent decisions. Rachel Buscall herself explains: “We built New Capital Link to be that introducer, a firm that operates with absolute transparency, empowers the investor, and works strictly within a compliant framework.”
This model raises fundamental questions. If Rachel Buscall and the New Capital Link team present opportunities, provide insight during the initial consultation, and conduct due diligence on investments, how does this differ functionally from providing financial advice?
The answer lies in careful legal positioning. Introducers facilitate connections but theoretically don’t recommend specific actions.
For the introducer, this structure offers significant advantages. Lower regulatory burden, faster business setup, and crucially, limited liability when investments underperform. If a sophisticated investor loses money on investment in an unlisted company or loan notes that default, the introducer can maintain they simply made a connection, not a recommendation.
According to Companies House records, New Capital Link’s filing history shows steady business activity since incorporation. But what that activity generates for investors versus what it generates for the introducer remains an important question.
The FCA has expressed concern about this very model. In October 2025, the regulator warned: “Many of those who promote these high-risk investments don’t need to be regulated by us. Exemptions in the law mean certain high-risk investments can be marketed directly to those considered wealthy or if they’re an experienced investor.”
The “Sophisticated Investor” Classification: Protection or Illusion?
Central to Rachel Buscall’s business model is the concept of the “sophisticated investor”.
These are individuals who supposedly possess sufficient knowledge to assess complex alternative assets without regulatory protection. The timing is significant. In private markets, 97% of asset management professionals recently reported strong or moderate interest from retail investors in private funds.
UK investors surveyed planned to increase their monthly allocation to alternatives by about 11% on average in 2023, rising to 13% for Gen Z investors.
This surge in demand has created fertile ground for firms like New Capital Link.
Under current regulations, someone qualifies as a sophisticated investor if they’ve been a member of a network or syndicate of business angels for six months, have made multiple angel investments in the past two years, have worked in private equity or investment management, or are certified as sophisticated by an authorised person.
The problem? These categories are broad and, in practice, difficult to verify.
A small business owner who’s made a couple of angel investments might technically qualify, despite having little understanding of complex financial structures or risk management techniques that professional investors employ. The FCA itself has cautioned: “If you’re asked to confirm that you are a sophisticated investor, think carefully about whether you genuinely have experience of similar high-risk investments, and whether it’s in your best interest.”
Rachel Buscall’s professionalism and the comprehensive approach she describes suggests rigorous investor vetting. But the financial incentive structure raises questions. Does an introducer earning commissions on investments placed have the motivation to err on the side of caution when assessing investor sophistication?
The New Capital Link team emphasises commitment to investor education and transparency. Yet the sector in which they operate has seen numerous high-profile failures leaving supposedly sophisticated investors facing devastating losses.
Alternative Assets: Opportunity or Risk Relabelled?
Under Rachel Buscall’s strategic direction, New Capital Link provides access to various alternative investments.
The firm’s website highlights opportunities in early-stage companies, property development, and structured loan notes, all marketed as offering superior returns compared to traditional assets. The appetite is certainly there. Around 63% of UK alternative investors surveyed said they were driven into alternatives because inflation was beating high-street savings rates.
About 51% believed alternatives offer better long-term returns than traditional stocks and shares.
High-net-worth investors globally had about 26% of their assets in alternatives by 2020, up from 22% in 2017. Rachel Buscall has publicly stated she sees growing demand for deals at £1 million plus ticket sizes that combine returns with social or environmental impact.
But context matters. “Alternative investments” is often a euphemism for products that don’t meet the regulatory standards required for mainstream retail sale.
These investments may be alternative precisely because they’re too risky, too illiquid, or too complex for ordinary investors. Consider loan notes, a product heavily featured in New Capital Link’s offerings. These are essentially IOUs from companies, often startups or property developers, promising fixed returns over a specific period.
When the underlying company succeeds, investors receive their promised returns. When it fails, they may lose everything, with no Financial Services Compensation Scheme protection.
The FCA has been explicit about these risks. The regulator notes that many opportunities “typically come with a fixed, high rate of return, which is a promised annual rate of interest paid to investors. But behind this can sit high risk, opaque or even non-existent enterprises.”
Rachel Buscall’s strategic vision emphasises due diligence and risk management, with stated focus on luxury property and “tangible, scalable projects” that supposedly balance return potential with long-term stability.
“For us, due diligence is a deep, multi-faceted process,” she explains. “It starts with the fundamentals of the project itself. Is it a viable business proposition? We then scrutinise the team behind the project.”
But due diligence by an introducer earning placement fees differs fundamentally from due diligence by an independent adviser with fiduciary duty to the client. The structure of introducer relationships, where fees come from the investment product issuer rather than the investor, creates inherent conflicts of interest.
Can Rachel Buscall and the New Capital Link team truly provide objective assessment when their revenue depends on completing introductions?
Portfolio Evidence: Examining New Capital Link’s Investment Track Record
To understand whether Rachel Buscall’s due diligence claims hold weight, examining New Capital Link’s actual investment portfolio provides concrete evidence.
The firm has facilitated introductions to several substantial projects that demonstrate varying levels of credibility and institutional backing.
The Alderley Group: Government-Backed Social Housing
Perhaps the most substantial credential in New Capital Link’s portfolio is their partnership with the Alderley Group, a property developer with strategic connections to Homes England, the UK government’s housing accelerator.
Alderley Group specialises in developing 100% affordable housing schemes across the North West of England, including projects in Huyton, Warrington, Runcorn, and Walkden. The company works with registered providers including Housing 21 and has successfully completed multiple funding rounds.
Rachel Buscall describes the partnership: “Our partnership with the Alderley Group allows us to offer investors a unique opportunity to generate attractive returns while making a meaningful difference in addressing the UK’s housing crisis.”
The Alderley Group collaboration represents what Rachel Buscall characterises as the intersection of financial returns and social impact. The company offers investors loan notes with minimum returns of 10-12% per annum, secured through negative pledge debentures that provide investors with a first full charge on the company.
With Homes England backing and contracts with established housing associations, the Alderley investment demonstrates the type of government-adjacent opportunity that lends institutional credibility to New Capital Link’s introducer model. The company has won recognition as Best Affordable Housing Developer 2024 at the SME Awards.
Projects like the 46-unit retirement living scheme in Walkden town centre, designed by BTP Architects and operated by Housing 21, showcase tangible developments rather than speculative ventures.
For sceptics questioning Rachel Buscall’s ability to source legitimate opportunities, the Alderley Group partnership provides verifiable evidence of connections to government-backed housing initiatives addressing real market needs. However, it’s worth noting that even government-adjacent property developments carry execution risk, and loan notes remain unsecured investments without FSCS protection.
NextGen Cloud: Elite NVIDIA Partner in AI Infrastructure
New Capital Link’s technology portfolio demonstrates Rachel Buscall’s ability to identify opportunities in cutting-edge sectors.
The firm’s partnership with NextGen Cloud (styled as NexGenCloud), an Elite member of the NVIDIA Partner Network, positions NCL clients at the forefront of AI infrastructure investment. Founded in 2020, NextGen Cloud has established itself as a sustainable European cloud provider specialising in GPU-accelerated computing.
The company operates Hyperstack, a platform providing on-demand access to NVIDIA’s most advanced hardware including H100, A100, and the revolutionary Blackwell platform GPUs. NextGen Cloud announced a $1 billion investment to build Europe’s first AI Supercloud, with $576 million already secured in hardware orders.
In April 2025, the company raised $45 million in Series A funding, bringing its valuation to $354 million.
Rachel Buscall comments: “Our partnership with NextGen Cloud allows us to offer our clients access to some of the most advanced and potentially lucrative tech investments available. In the rapidly evolving world of technology and AI, having a strong partner like NextGen Cloud is crucial for identifying and capitalising on emerging opportunities.”
The NVIDIA partnership isn’t marketing fluff. NextGen Cloud became one of the first Elite Cloud Partners authorised to offer NVIDIA Blackwell platform-powered compute services, positioning the company to deliver AI infrastructure enabling real-time inference on trillion-parameter large language models.
Matt McGrigg, Director of Global Business Development for Cloud Service Provider Partners at NVIDIA, stated: “Accessing NVIDIA compute in the cloud through Hyperstack is a game-changer for early-stage businesses.”
The company runs on 100% renewable energy and has secured partnerships with leading cloud marketplace Shadeform, demonstrating both technological credibility and operational traction. For investors, NextGen Cloud represents exposure to the exploding AI infrastructure market valued at $11.4 billion in 2023 and growing at 22.5% annually.
This investment demonstrates Rachel Buscall’s ability to identify technology opportunities with substantial institutional backing and verified operational capabilities, though early-stage tech investments naturally carry significant risk.
InterGroup Mining: Australian Resources Play
New Capital Link’s introduction of InterGroup Mining Limited represents Rachel Buscall’s reach into international natural resources.
This Australian mining company focuses on the Brilliant Brumby mine in Queensland, developing large-scale kaolin, silica, and gold deposits. The company also explores lithium, tantalum, niobium, yttrium, and cerium deposits, positioning itself within the critical minerals sector essential to battery technology and electronics.
Initially offered to NCL clients as 12% convertible loan notes, InterGroup Mining has progressed toward public listing. The company signed a Letter of Intent with Transition Opportunities Corp to complete a reverse takeover on the Canadian TSXV stock exchange, with listing targeted for Q4 2024 and future dual listing on the NYSE planned.
Led by CEO Walter Doyle and Non-Executive Chairman Brian Stockbridge (both also holding key positions at NEX-listed NQ Mining), InterGroup Mining has raised $58 million to date.
Rachel Buscall commented: “With InterGroup Mining approaching its listing, we’re seeing an exciting opportunity in the Australian gold mining sector. The company’s focus on the Brilliant Brumby mine, combined with their experienced leadership team, positions them well for this next phase.”
According to New Capital Link materials, shares have risen 50% in value since NCL clients invested during the pre-IPO phase, though this claim cannot be independently verified through public markets as the company remains unlisted.
The company’s scoping study presents a net present value of $3.8 billion with a 49% internal rate of return, though these projections depend entirely on successful extraction and market conditions. Post-listing, InterGroup Mining expects to access AUD $96 million from GEM Yield New York and AUD $15 million from a Middle Eastern family office.
For Rachel Buscall, InterGroup Mining represents the type of pre-IPO opportunity that can deliver substantial returns if the company successfully transitions to public markets. The convertible structure provided clients flexibility to either secure fixed 12% returns or convert to equity to participate in potential upside.
However, mining investments carry extreme risk. As New Capital Link’s own materials acknowledge: “These mining investments are uncontrolled business loans, and if InterGroup Mining fails, you could lose all of your money.” The company’s ability to deliver returns depends entirely on its capacity to extract and sell minerals profitably.
Client Feedback: What Trustpilot Reviews Reveal
Beyond examining individual investments, understanding actual client experiences provides insight into whether Rachel Buscall’s operation delivers on its promises.
New Capital Link maintains a 4.4-star rating on Trustpilot based on 65+ reviews, a significant indicator of client satisfaction in the financial services sector where companies typically face harsher criticism.
Positive Client Experiences
Multiple verified reviews highlight successful investment outcomes and professional service delivery.
One investor reported: “My social housing investment has matured today and I’m impressed with the outcome and how smooth the process was. Thank you New Capital Link for the introduction and I would highly recommend this opportunity.”
Another client detailed a three-year experience: “Just exited and fully paid out on my 3 year quarterly bonus with Acorn. Very pleased with prompt payments each quarter and have re invested with confidence into a 12 monthly income based product with Ashbrooks.”
Communication quality receives consistent praise. A reviewer noted: “recently dealt with new capital link was very happy with the communication and way i was dealt with, would strongly recommend.”
Professional team members receive individual recognition. One client stated: “Highly recommend New Capital Link. James Harper, Director of Business Development, has delivered on successful exits on both my Acorn Bond and on a Loan Note with 79th Group which gave me a high monthly return. James continues to provide guidance and support on upcoming projects.”
Another praised: “I have found New Capital Link to be professional and extremely experienced providing excellent advice and support. All of my monthly payments have been paid on time over the last year. My private account manager, James, has guided me through the investment process with expertise and diligence.”
Specific investment outcomes demonstrate tangible results. One investor wrote: “Managed to sell IAG at 72.5p via Jarvis. Thanks New Capital Link for the introduction we got there in the end.” Another noted: “Very happy after exiting my one year property bond at Northumberland Living West Chevington Farm investment. Alex Santos was very professional throughout the whole process and kept me informed highly recommended.”
These reviews suggest that for many clients, Rachel Buscall’s team delivers professional service and facilitates successful investment exits, with particular emphasis on communication quality and relationship management.
Balanced Perspective: Legitimate Concerns
Not all experiences are uniformly positive, and examining criticisms provides important context.
Some reviews mention communication challenges during investment holding periods, particularly when awaiting IPO events or when there are no significant updates to share. One investor reported difficulty getting responses about an investment awaiting public listing, reflecting operational challenges in maintaining engagement during passive investment periods.
A small number of reviews raise concerns about unsolicited marketing communications, with one reviewer stating they received emails without opting in, describing them as potentially misleading about regulated status.
However, it’s worth noting that several investigative analyses have concluded that New Capital Link has been targeted by so-called “recovery room” operations that publish negative content about legitimate firms to create worried investors who can then be exploited for “recovery” fees.
One investigation by financial journalist Tony Welch found: “New Capital Link is a UK-registered business. It has a visible founder and team. It operates within legal parameters as an introducer. Its projects are verifiable. It’s involved in recognised charity work. It has a positive review history. No credible evidence suggests it’s fraudulent.”
What Reviews Cannot Tell Us
Trustpilot reviews provide valuable insights into service quality and client experiences, but they have significant limitations.
They cannot verify the long-term performance of underlying investments, as most reviews are written shortly after investment or exit rather than after full investment cycles. Reviews also cannot assess whether the due diligence on opportunities was as thorough as Rachel Buscall claims, or whether the sophistication assessment of investors was appropriate.
The 4.4-star rating demonstrates that many clients are satisfied with their service experience, but satisfaction with service quality doesn’t necessarily correlate with optimal investment outcomes or appropriate risk-taking.
Award-Winning Performance: What Gets Measured?
New Capital Link has accumulated multiple industry awards under Rachel Buscall’s leadership.
The firm claims Alternative Investment Provider of the Year (twice), Best Boutique Alternative Investment Firm 2024, and recognition at various financial sector award ceremonies including Wealth and Finance Awards for 2024 and 2025. These accolades appear impressive. But investigative journalism requires asking: what do these awards actually measure?
Many financial sector awards involve nomination fees, industry voting by peers who may have reciprocal relationships, or assessment criteria focused on business growth rather than client outcomes.
Unlike regulated financial advisers, introducers don’t report standardised performance metrics to regulators. There’s no public database showing what percentage of investments introduced by NCL have delivered promised returns, how many have failed completely, or what the average investor outcome looks like.
Rachel Buscall’s LinkedIn profile and the firm’s marketing emphasise excellence and professionalism. Client testimonials provide positive anecdotes.
“Our key metrics are client satisfaction, the quality of opportunities we are able to source, and our brand’s reputation,” Rachel Buscall states. The firm claims to have achieved an average portfolio return of 13.88% and experienced 35% brand awareness growth in 2025.
But the absence of transparent, verifiable performance data makes independent assessment difficult.
The New Capital Link Foundation’s charitable work, including support for causes like the Oli Academy in India, demonstrates commitment to social responsibility. Rachel Buscall describes this work as reflecting her belief “that financial success and social responsibility are not mutually exclusive.”
Yet charitable activities don’t provide evidence about investment performance or investor outcomes.
The partnership with Kris Aves, the former Metropolitan Police officer who gained significant media attention for his heroic actions during the London Bridge terrorist attack, adds another dimension of credibility to Rachel Buscall’s network. Aves represents what New Capital Link describes as the calibre of clients they attract and support, though this association speaks more to social credentials than investment expertise.
The Commission Question: Follow the Money
One aspect rarely discussed in New Capital Link’s marketing is how Rachel Buscall and her firm actually generate revenue.
As an introducer, NCL earns commissions from investment product issuers when investors commit capital. This creates a fundamental misalignment of interests. The introducer’s incentive is to maximise the volume and value of introductions completed.
The investor’s interest is to make only the best investments with appropriate risk levels.
Rachel Buscall has stated that New Capital Link conducts thorough due diligence and maintains rigorous standards for the opportunities they present. “Our model is our USP,” she explains. “We are introducers, pure and simple. Our clients are experienced investors who value their autonomy.”
But the commission structure means that every opportunity not presented is revenue foregone.
Traditional independent financial advisers charge fees directly to clients, creating accountability for advice quality. The introducer model, by contrast, is paid by product manufacturers.
This raises questions about whose interests truly get prioritised.
According to professional standards in the financial services sector, conflicts of interest must be managed transparently. But when the entire business model is built on a conflict, earning money from product issuers while claiming to serve investor interests, how effectively can that conflict really be managed?
The FCA’s 2025 strategy for asset management specifically addresses this issue. The regulator notes that “inadequate management of conflicts of interest also increases the likelihood and severity of investor harm, particularly where firms operate multiple intersecting businesses.”
Regulatory Oversight: The Accountability Gap
Rachel Buscall operates in a sector with minimal regulatory oversight.
Unlike authorised financial advisers who face regular compliance reviews, client money audits, and potential enforcement action for misconduct, introducers face far lighter scrutiny. The Financial Conduct Authority has expressed concern about the introducer model, particularly when it comes to marketing of high-risk products to retail investors.
Yet regulatory action has been limited, with the introducer sector continuing to operate largely as it has for years.
This regulatory gap matters. When investors lose money through poor advice from an FCA-authorised adviser, they can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service and potentially claim compensation.
When an investment introduced by an unregulated introducer fails, investors often have no practical recourse.
The FCA warns explicitly: “If a firm offering an investment is not regulated by the FCA there are generally far fewer protections. For example, you are unlikely to be able to take complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service and you’re unlikely to be able to make a claim through the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.”
Rachel Buscall is a Member of the Institute of Directors (IoD) East of England, lending professional identity and credibility.
But IoD membership is voluntary and doesn’t involve regulatory supervision of business practices. The New Capital Link website emphasises operating as a transparent and regulated professional. But “regulated” in this context means simply following general business law, not the specific consumer protection regulations governing financial advice.
The Sophistication Paradox
There’s an inherent paradox in New Capital Link’s positioning.
The firm markets itself as providing access to sophisticated investor opportunities for high-net-worth clients who understand complex risks. Yet if these investors are truly sophisticated and capable of independent assessment, why do they need an introducer?
The value proposition appears to be access.
Rachel Buscall and the New Capital Link team claim connections to opportunities that investors couldn’t find independently. “We exist to bridge the gap between discerning investors and carefully vetted alternative investments,” she states. “It’s about opening doors to opportunities they might not otherwise find.”
The Alderley Group partnership, NextGen Cloud introduction, and InterGroup Mining pre-IPO access do demonstrate that Rachel Buscall has cultivated relationships providing entry to opportunities not readily available through mainstream channels.
But in an era of online platforms, startup pitch events, and direct investment opportunities, the unique value of an introducer becomes less clear.
Perhaps the real service isn’t access but persuasion. Sophisticated investors with capital might not invest in early-stage ventures or loan notes without someone presenting a compelling case. The introducer, then, serves more as a sales function than a pure connection facilitator.
Rachel Buscall’s entrepreneurial background and strategic vision may provide credibility for this sales function.
But sales expertise doesn’t necessarily translate to investment expertise or ability to accurately assess which opportunities truly merit investor capital.
Business Diversification: Focus or Fragmentation?
Beyond New Capital Link, Rachel Buscall has expanded into other business sectors.
She recently acquired an F45 Training franchise and operates Rachel Buscall Designs, a luxury interior design practice serving high-net-worth clients. In interviews, she describes this diversification as part of a strategy that helps her “read trends across sectors such as fitness, property development, and alternative investments more broadly.”
Her stated investment philosophy centres on finding scalable, high-potential businesses while applying strict security and ethical criteria.
Yet this diversification raises practical questions about bandwidth and priorities. Running an investment introducer firm requires staying current on investment landscape developments, maintaining due diligence on potential opportunities, and providing oversight to the New Capital Link team.
Adding a fitness franchise and interior design business to that portfolio suggests either exceptional time management or divided attention.
For investors whose capital depends on thorough vetting and ongoing monitoring, the question of where the CEO’s focus actually lies becomes relevant. Alternatively, the multiple business ventures may serve a different purpose: creating an impression of broad business success and entrepreneurial excellence that lends credibility to the investment introducing operation.
To Connect with Rachel Buscall: What Investors Should Know
For those considering working with New Capital Link, several questions deserve answers before committing capital.
What specific due diligence does the firm conduct on opportunities? How many opportunities are rejected versus presented? What is the historical performance of investments previously introduced by NCL? How is the firm compensated, and by whom?
What happens if an investment fails to deliver promised returns?
Rachel Buscall’s LinkedIn profile and the firm’s marketing materials provide promotional answers. But prospective investors should seek concrete data, independently verifiable track records, and clear documentation of the introducer relationship structure.
The partnerships with Alderley Group, NextGen Cloud, and InterGroup Mining demonstrate that Rachel Buscall has cultivated substantive business relationships. The Trustpilot reviews showing successful exits and satisfied clients provide evidence that many investors have positive experiences.
However, these successes don’t guarantee future performance or eliminate the inherent conflicts in the commission-based introducer model.
The comprehensive approach to investor education that New Capital Link emphasises should include frank discussion of the limitations of the introducer model.
It should cover the conflicts inherent in the commission structure, and the lack of regulatory protection compared to working with authorised advisers. “Trust is the absolute bedrock of what we do,” Rachel Buscall states. The question is whether trust alone provides sufficient protection for investors committing substantial capital.
The Bigger Picture: Introducers in the Investment Ecosystem
Rachel Buscall’s success building New Capital Link in just five years reflects broader trends in UK financial services.
As regulation of traditional advice has increased, alternative models operating in grey zones have flourished. The numbers tell the story. An example UK investor in 2025 might hold a mix like: 60% listed funds and ETFs, 15% property-linked deals, 10% private equity or venture capital, 5% gold, 5% crypto, 5% other alternatives.
This reflects the trend toward diversifying into non-traditional assets.
Popular alternative asset types now include private equity, venture capital, property, peer-to-peer lending, private debt, collectables, commodities, infrastructure, and structured products. Crypto, while still common at about 30% of UK investors holding some in 2023, was expected to dip to 24% by 2024.
Meanwhile, gold and precious metals saw a 10% to 16% year-on-year rise in investment volumes in early 2023.
Gold holdings were expected to rise from 19% to 21% of UK investors by 2024.
Whether this represents innovation or regulatory arbitrage remains debatable. Proponents argue introducers provide valuable access to opportunities while avoiding unnecessary regulatory burden. Critics contend the model creates consumer confusion and exposes investors to risks they don’t fully understand.
The reality likely lies somewhere between.
Some introducers may genuinely serve sophisticated investors who understand exactly what they’re getting. Others may exploit regulatory gaps to market high-risk products to investors who don’t truly grasp the dangers.
Where Rachel Buscall and New Capital Link fall on this spectrum remains an open question. The awards, testimonials, professional credentials, and verifiable partnerships with organisations like Alderley Group and NextGen Cloud paint one picture. The structural conflicts, regulatory gaps, and absence of transparent performance data suggest another story might also be told.
The client reviews showing successful exits demonstrate that many investors have positive outcomes. But reviews also cannot capture whether the sophistication assessment was appropriate, whether due diligence was as thorough as claimed, or whether the commission structure influenced which opportunities were presented.
Conclusion: Questions That Deserve Answers
Rachel Buscall has undeniably built a successful business in New Capital Link.
The firm operates legally within current regulatory frameworks. Many clients report satisfaction with their experience. The partnerships with government-backed Alderley Group, NVIDIA Elite Partner NextGen Cloud, and Australian mining company InterGroup Mining demonstrate substantive business relationships rather than purely speculative ventures.
“Our mission has always been about more than just returns,” she states. “It’s about building a trusted ecosystem where investors feel empowered.”
But success for the business doesn’t automatically equate to optimal outcomes for investors.
The introducer model, the alternative asset sector, and the “sophisticated investor” classification all deserve greater scrutiny from regulators, journalists, and investors themselves. The FCA is actively reviewing these areas, with recent consultation papers addressing concerns about investor protection in the alternatives market.
The Trustpilot reviews provide evidence that many clients receive professional service and achieve successful exits. The tangible projects like Alderley Group’s government-backed housing developments and NextGen Cloud’s $1 billion AI infrastructure investment demonstrate Rachel Buscall’s ability to cultivate relationships with substantive organisations.
However, these successes don’t eliminate the fundamental questions about the introducer model: whose interests are truly prioritised when commissions come from product issuers rather than clients? How can due diligence be truly objective when revenue depends on completing introductions? What recourse do investors have when investments fail?
As the UK’s alternative investment market continues to grow, figures like Rachel Buscall will shape its development.
Whether that development serves investor interests or primarily generates commissions for intermediaries remains the fundamental question. For now, investors considering alternative investments through introducers would be wise to remember: sophistication means asking difficult questions, demanding transparent answers, and understanding that in financial services, if something seems too good to be true, it usually is.
The FCA’s warning bears repeating: “Taking higher investment risks can be right for some people, depending on your circumstances. But you need to make sure you’re aware of the risks you’re taking.”
Rachel Buscall operates in a space where those risks are substantial, protections are limited, and the incentives don’t always align with investor interests. The verifiable partnerships and positive client testimonials suggest genuine capability and professionalism. The structural conflicts and regulatory gaps suggest that even with the best intentions, the introducer model creates inherent challenges that sophisticated investors must carefully consider.
Important Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Investors should conduct their own thorough due diligence, seek independent professional advice, and carefully consider the risks before making any investment decisions. New Capital Link operates as an introducer under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and does not authorise or provide regulated financial advice. All investments carry risk, particularly alternative investments which may be illiquid and high-risk.
