Quality, resilience and strategic specialisation to drive forward the Maltese financial services industry
Malta’s financial sector is ready to redefine its future through quality, resilience and strategic specialisation. This was the central message emerging from the 18th edition of the FinanceMalta Conference, the largest and most ambitious gathering the organisation has ever hosted. With global experts, senior policymakers and industry leaders converging under the theme Redefining Finance: A Quality-Driven Future for Malta, the event secured a renewed commitment to elevating standards and strengthening Malta’s position as a trusted European financial centre.
Across keynote interventions, expert panels and high-level discussions, a clear consensus emerged: advancing the jurisdiction’s competitiveness will depend on deeper collaboration between industry, regulators and government, alongside sustained investment in talent and innovation. Insights from the country’s long-term development strategy, enVision2050, further reinforced the need for a financial ecosystem that is agile, transparent and internationally aligned.
Minister for Finance Clyde Caruana highlighted the contrast between the challenges facing many economies and Malta’s continued resilience. While debt levels across Europe continue to deteriorate, Malta’s position is improving, with our debt-to-GDP ratio standing at a healthy 47%. He noted that, despite modest growth across the euro area, Malta continues to outperform its peers with around 4% annual growth, year after year. This stability, he said, is reflected in rising disposable income, increased welfare investment and a clear surge in investor confidence. On financial services, he pointed to the growing number of applications being submitted to the MFSA. A robust regulatory environment, he noted, protects the public interest, safeguards investors and strengthens Malta’s position as a transparent and reliable financial centre.
In an address to delegates, European Commissioner for Financial Services Maria Luís Albuquerque stressed the importance of strengthening financial security across the EU. She noted that many citizens still feel anxious about their finances, and much of this pressure can be reduced through improved financial literacy. With stronger financial knowledge, people are better equipped to budget effectively, make informed investment decisions, avoid excessive debt, plan for retirement, and protect themselves from financial scams.
Throughout the event, specialisation featured prominently as a defining opportunity. Thought leaders pointed to fintech, digital finance, insurance, wealth management, capital markets and emerging technologies, including AI and blockchain, as areas where Malta can secure a sharper, more globally relevant value proposition. The country’s early leadership in crypto regulation was also highlighted as a foundation for future European positioning.
FinanceMalta’s 18th Conference further showcased the strength of Malta’s financial community, reflected in the active engagement of the 46 sponsors and the broad participation of sector specialists contributing their expertise across multiple themes, from ESG and sustainability to governance, digital transformation and the evolution of capital markets.
Closing off the event, FinanceMalta’s Chief Strategy Officer Bernice Buttigieg captured the spirit of FM18 with a clear call to action. “Quality must be our North Star, collaboration our engine, and our potential is immense,” she said. Her message underscored the sector’s shared ambition to elevate standards, strengthen alignment between industry, regulators and government, and position Malta as a specialised and resilient financial centre.
FinanceMalta Chairman George Vella stated: “The commitment shown by the different stakeholders in the public and private sector gives us the confidence to keep strengthening Malta’s proposition and to continue promoting the jurisdiction with clarity and credibility and FinanceMalta will continue driving that momentum.”