The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) is the single regulator for the Maltese financial sector. Established in 2002, it brings the supervision of banks, insurers, investment funds, investment firms, pension funds and Corporate Service Providers under one roof. The MFSA is an autonomous authority with regulatory and disciplinary independence that reports directly to the Maltese Parliament. It works closely with the European supervisory authorities (EBA, ESMA, EIOPA) and transposes EU directives into Maltese law.
For entrepreneurs forming a Malta Limited, the MFSA is primarily relevant as the licensing authority for Corporate Service Providers (CSPs). Every CSP that incorporates or administers companies must hold an MFSA licence. Beyond that, the MFSA regulates activities that go further than ordinary trading: financial services (MiFID II), payment services (PSD2), e-money institutions, crypto-assets (MiCA) and insurance distribution. The MFSA maintains a public register of all licensed firms, which can be searched online.
