Malta: Technology

The Malta Financial Services Authority has issued new ICT circulars highlighting critical deficiencies in digital operational resilience among financial firms, particularly in authorisation applications and DORA compliance.

Recent legislative changes in Malta have fundamentally transformed cybersecurity from a technical IT concern into a critical matter of corporate governance and legal liability. With the introduction of Legal Notice 89 of 2026 and the rise of AI-enabled cyber threats, organizations now face direct enforcement mechanisms and heightened expectations for cyber-risk management that can expose both companies and their directors to significant consequences.

FinanceMalta speaks with Jurgen Kreuz, Founder of SECaaS.IT, during the 18th FinanceMalta Conference to explore the evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats and compliance requirements. The discussion delves into how financial institutions can navigate emerging security challenges while maintaining regulatory adherence in an increasingly digital environment.

The Malta Financial Services Authority has issued comprehensive guidance on artificial intelligence governance for financial firms, establishing clear expectations for board accountability, risk management frameworks, and third-party oversight. As AI adoption accelerates across the sector, regulated entities must now demonstrate robust control mechanisms, model validation processes, and data governance standards that align with both the EU AI Act and prudential requirements.

In our third episode we meet André Xuereb, professor of physics at the University of Malta and an entrepreneur. André is a thought leader in quantum technologies with a passion for exploring how we can shape tech for a safer tomorrow.

Malta's financial regulator has published a groundbreaking discussion paper addressing decentralised finance regulation, proposing innovative frameworks including Software-based Organisations, Guardian Agents, and compliance-by-design mechanisms. The consultation explores how jurisdictions can regulate financial services when traditional intermediaries no longer exist, potentially positioning Malta as a global leader in DeFi governance.

The commercial agent exclusion in EU payments regulation has evolved from a narrow carve-out for genuine sales intermediaries into a structure that regulators increasingly view as a means of circumventing licensing requirements. This regulatory tension, which predates PSD3, is now being directly addressed through the forthcoming Payment Services Regulation (PSR). How will these reforms reshape the landscape for payment service providers and commercial agents operating within the European Union?

FinXP and Buckzy Payments have formed a strategic partnership to enhance cross-border payment capabilities for internationally-active businesses. The collaboration combines FinXP's regulated European infrastructure with Buckzy's real-time international payment network and stablecoin technology. This integration aims to streamline European account management, SEPA payments, and global payment operations while reducing operational complexity for clients of both platforms.

Malta's financial regulator has issued two significant circulars that reshape how payment and e-money institutions safeguard client funds and how firms report regulatory data.