Malta has secured 16th place in the latest edition of the Baseline Profitability Index (BPI), with an overall score of 1.13.

The BPI is a globally recognised metric that evaluates the potential return on foreign direct investment across approximately 100 countries, using a five-year investment horizon. It acts as a useful reference point for foreign direct investment by factoring in the share of profits that can be sent back to the investor’s country of origin.

Built on three key components – asset growth and returns, value preservation and capital repatriation – it is the only index that integrates these elements into a single summary statistic, providing a comprehensive measure of a country’s overall investment attractiveness.

The index assesses multiple factors, including profit repatriation, financial stability, corruption levels, property rights, capital controls, exchange rate risk, and national security, all of which influence a country’s investment climate.

Malta shares its 16th-place ranking with Czechia and Poland, all three countries receiving a BPI score of 1.13. However, due to rounding differences, Czechia and Poland were placed slightly higher, in 14th and 15th place respectively.

At the top of the 2025 index, India leads with the highest score, followed by Rwanda and Malaysia, highlighting the strong investment appeal of these emerging markets. New Zealand and Thailand rounded out the top 20, placing 19th and 20th, each with a score of 1.11.

According to the official BPI website, Malta’s score remained unchanged from 2024, though it marks a minor decrease of 0.02 points compared to 2023.

The 2025 BPI was compiled by Daniel Altman, a Harvard-trained economist and author of the High Yield Economics newsletter. He has advised multinational corporations, investment firms, and government entities on economic strategy and global market entry.