Payment Institution Licence in Malta
EU-wide passporting, English-speaking, competitive costs. MFSA regulated. Capital from €20k to €125k. Typical timeline 4 to 8 months.
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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.
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Why Malta for Your Payment Institution Licence?
Malta combines EU passporting with English as an official language, competitive operating costs, and a regulator that is approachable and engagement-focused.
Malta, regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), offers PI licensing with full EU passporting rights. Malta has positioned itself as a fintech-friendly jurisdiction.
Licence requirements
Detailed requirements
PSD2 capital requirements apply. Local substance is required including local directors. AML frameworks must comply with EU standards.
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
Applications typically take 4 to 8 months, making Malta one of the faster EU options.
Malta vs United Kingdom
| Criteria | Malta | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | €20k to €125k | £20k to £125k |
| Timeline | 4 to 8 months | 6 to 12 months |
| Regulator | MFSA | FCA |
| Key Feature | EU-wide passporting, English-speaking, competitive costs | UK market access: no EEA passporting post-Brexit |
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 payment institution licence in Malta is €20k to €125k. PSD2 capital requirements apply. Local substance is required including local directors. AML frameworks must comply with EU standards.
The typical timeline for a payment institution licence in Malta is 4 to 8 months. Applications typically take 4 to 8 months, making Malta one of the faster EU options.
Malta combines EU passporting with English as an official language, competitive operating costs, and a regulator that is approachable and engagement-focused.
After receiving your payment institution 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 payment institution 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.
Yes, a payment institution licence obtained in Malta provides EU-wide passporting rights across all EEA member states. This allows you to operate across 30 European countries from a single authorisation.