Malta’s sophisticated financial services industry, along with EU membership and the euro as its currency, make it a prime choice for high-net-worth individuals and families seeking effective, cost-efficient wealth management.
Its adaptable, customisable services are supported by a network of reliable professionals known for preserving generational wealth and offering highly personalised solutions. Malta has also gained a reputation as an ideal jurisdiction for outsourcing family office and wealth management back-office functions, reducing costs and enhancing profitability for firms increasingly shifting operations to the islands.
Malta is one of the few jurisdictions where both trusts and foundations can be established, offering tools to safeguard assets, manage risk, and facilitate estate planning, succession and tax minimisation. These structures also allow for securitisation, corporate financing, creditor protection, and philanthropic endeavours. Trusts typically appeal to those from common law backgrounds, while foundations often attract clients familiar with civil law systems.
The framework allows for a high degree of pliability. For example, set-ups may involve the creation of a limited liability company to act as the trustee of the trust holding the assets, with the board of directors often comprising family members and their trusted advisors. These Private Trust Companies (PTCs) thus allow family members to have a say in the administration of a trust.
As with any wealth and estate planning, the starting point is to engage the right professionals to understand the rules and then establish how they may be used to benefit your interests.
Malta takes a bold approach where it counts and remains cautious where it matters: trustees and investment services providers alike need to be licensed with the MFSA, giving clients and their families the assurance that their assets are being managed by reputable operators. The jurisdiction’s popularity has attracted major international players who now compete with long-standing local operators, giving clients a greater breadth of products and services to choose from.
