Malta: Financial Services

Our Mamo TCV Regulatory Compliance Quarterly Update is intended to keep Maltese regulated entities informed of regulatory changes and developments taking place mainly in the local financial services space.

Europe faces a widening natural catastrophe protection gap as climate change intensifies the frequency and severity of disasters, leaving much of the financial burden on governments and communities.

The Malta Financial Services Authority has introduced a new General Code of Conduct for Decision Makers in the Financial Services Industry, establishing principles-based supervisory expectations for governance, leadership behaviour and senior-level decision-making. While non-prescriptive, the Code serves as a key reference point in supervisory engagement and inspections, applying broadly to board members, senior executives and decision makers within MFSA-supervised and listed entities.

Recent guidance issued in relation to the Annual Compliance Report and the Compliance Monitoring Plan provides an important signal to financial institutions. The Authority is no longer reviewing the CMP as a routine compliance document. It is reviewing it as evidence of whether the institution understands its own risk profile and whether it is actively testing the effectiveness of its controls.

Malta has long positioned itself as a forward-looking EU jurisdiction for digital asset businesses combining EU membership, a sophisticated regulatory framework, and a proactive approach to fintech and blockchain innovation.

Drafting the Annual Report for FinanceMalta is always a daunting task – but it is also a satisfying reminder of how much we have achieved in the previous year, in spite of the fact that there are only five of us in the team!

Further to the Malta Financial Services Authority's (‘MFSA') circular setting out the reporting timelines applicable to the annual submission of the Register of Information (‘ROI') under Regulation (EU) 2022/2554...

For UK entrepreneurs looking to regain access to the EU market post Brexit, Malta has become one of the most attractive jurisdictions for company formation.

From the 1st of January 2026, the Highly Skilled Individuals Rules have come in force, providing for the favourable tax treatment of highly skilled individuals.