Malta is seeking to expand its financial sector by exploiting new opportunities in order to develop its financial services infrastructure, including its securities market. The success of Malta’s financial services industry has been confirmed by the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report for 2013-2014, where Malta ranked out of 148 countries in so far as the regulation of securities exchanges is concerned. In addition, Malta ranked in 14th place for the soundness of banks, 15th place as regards ease of access to loans and in 27th spot in so far as the availability and affordability of financial services are concerned.
Malta is constantly reviewing and adapting its legislation in order to facilitate the growth of specialised markets as well as promote itself as an attractive jurisdiction for other companies. In particular, the Listing Rules have been recently reviewed to enable alternative company listings. Moreover, a Second Tier Market will soon be introduced which would qualify as a Multilateral Trading Facility. More than 50 credit and financial institutions are located in Malta and there are some 600 investment funds and 200 investment managers and other investment services providers operating in the island.
Whilst Malta’s diversified services-oriented economy and its transparent regulatory environment have enabled it to withstand the global financial crisis, the capital market structures in the pipeline should provide the adequate stimulus for boutique exchanges and technology-based market platforms to flourish and succeed.