Banking Licence in Malta
EU passporting, English-speaking, fintech-friendly. MFSA + ECB regulated. Capital from €5M. Typical timeline 12 to 18 months.
Speak to a licensing expert
Tell us the business, the markets and your timing. Every enquiry is answered the same business day, with a written proposal: the licence, the requirements, the cost and the timeline.
Your enquiry
Why Malta for Your Banking Licence?
Malta combines EU passporting with English language, competitive costs, and a pragmatic regulatory approach.
Malta offers banking authorisation through the MFSA with full EU passporting. Malta has positioned itself as a fintech-friendly jurisdiction.
Licence requirements
Detailed requirements
€5 million capital. Comprehensive governance, risk management, and AML requirements. Local substance mandatory.
Application process
Regulatory Strategy
We assess your business model and regulatory position to develop a clear licensing strategy.
Business Plan
We prepare a comprehensive business plan meeting the regulator's expectations.
Programme of Operations
Detailed programme of operations covering governance, compliance, and operational arrangements.
Compliance Framework
Full AML/CFT framework, compliance monitoring programme, and risk management policies.
Application Submission
We compile and submit the complete application package to the regulator.
Regulator Review
We manage all regulator communications and information requests during the review period.
Authorisation
Upon approval, we support your transition to live operations.
Process detail
12 to 18 months.
Malta vs United Kingdom
| Criteria | Malta | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | €5M | £1M+ |
| Timeline | 12 to 18 months | 12 to 36 months |
| Regulator | MFSA + ECB | PRA + FCA |
| Key Feature | EU passporting, English-speaking, fintech-friendly | Dual regulation, mobilisation stage available |
Related services
Licensing & Authorisation
Full-service licensing advisory from strategy to authorisation.
Compliance Support
Ongoing compliance frameworks tailored to your regulatory obligations.
Financial Crime
AML, KYC and financial crime prevention programmes.
Ready to get started?
Every enquiry is answered the same business day, with a written proposal.
Speak to a licensing expertFrequently asked questions
The capital requirement for a banking licence in Malta is €5M. €5 million capital. Comprehensive governance, risk management, and AML requirements. Local substance mandatory.
The typical timeline for a banking licence in Malta is 12 to 18 months. 12 to 18 months.
Malta combines EU passporting with English language, competitive costs, and a pragmatic regulatory approach.
After receiving your banking licence in Malta, you must maintain ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements including safeguarding of customer funds, regular regulatory reporting, maintaining adequate capital, updating AML and compliance frameworks, and cooperating with supervisory reviews and inspections.
Most jurisdictions require local substance for a banking licence. In Malta, you will typically need a registered office, at least one locally resident director, and potentially additional operational staff. We can advise on the exact requirements and help you establish the minimum viable local presence.
A banking licence in Malta provides access to the domestic market. EU passporting, English-speaking, fintech-friendly. Separate authorisation may be required for other jurisdictions.