JA Malta took a significant step forward in addressing the challenges and opportunities of digital finance this October, as the nation's leading financial capability conference returned with renewed focus and ambition. The Digital Finance Frontiers: Empowerment Through Technology and Education conference, held at the Radisson Blu Resort in St Julian's convened over 150 policymakers, educators, regulators, NGOs, and industry leaders to chart a course for Malta's digital financial future.
Co-organised by JA Malta Foundation and CapableMind, the conference marked a strategic change from the previous year, by shifting attention from general financial wellbeing to the specific demands of Malta's rapidly evolving digital finance landscape. The event focused on three critical pillars: collaboration across sectors, behavioural design in product and service delivery, and measuring real impact on financial capability and wellbeing.
Global perspectives meet local action
The conference featured two high-profile keynote addresses that bridged international best practices with local implementation. Chiara Monticone, senior policy representative from the OECD, delivered insights on global digital finance trends, highlighting patterns in financial inclusion and innovation that are reshaping economies worldwide. Her presentation provided valuable context for understanding where Malta fits within the broader international landscape.
Building on this global perspective, Mohsen Siddiqui, FinTech entrepreneur and CEO of GenMo, explored the practical application of behavioural science in digital banking, policymaking, and financial education. His keynote on money management in the digital age demonstrated how understanding human behaviour can transform the design and effectiveness of financial services and educational programmes.
The programme also included expert-led panel discussions addressing digital financial inclusion across different demographics, and examining the crucial role of educators and policymakers in preparing citizens for a digitally-driven financial future. An interactive innovation lab allowed participants to collaborate on creating real-world tools using artificial intelligence and behavioural design principles, translating theory into practical applications.
Call for cross-sector collaboration
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry for Education, Horace Laudi, Senior Policy Consultant, emphasised the imperative of integrated action. He stressed that addressing digital finance challenges cannot be achieved in isolation, noting that collaboration across sectors is essential rather than optional. The message was clear: creating inclusive,
effective, and trustworthy financial systems requires sustained partnerships between government, industry, and civil society.
Matthew Caruana, CEO of JA Malta Foundation, reinforced this message, positioning the conference as both a platform for recognition and a catalyst for action. He highlighted that building a financially capable society demands ongoing collaboration between educators, industry leaders, and policymakers, enabling individuals to navigate an ever-changing financial landscape with confidence and knowledge.
Conference co-lead Petra Ellul-Mercer brought attention to the human element of digital transformation, emphasising that digital skills and financial literacy are intrinsically linked. She advocated for designing financial products and services with behavioural insights from inception, ensuring they meet the specific needs of diverse user groups, from digitally native teenagers to older adults taking their first steps online. This user-centred approach recognises that different generations have distinct habits, risks, and motivations, and effective design must respect these differences while making confident financial decisions the default option.
Looking forward: priorities for Malta's financial future
As the conference concluded, three clear priorities emerged for Malta's path ahead. First, embedding behavioural science early in product and policy development to ensure solutions are grounded in how people actually think and behave. Second, rejecting one-size-fits-all approaches by designing for diverse users with different needs, capabilities, and contexts. Third, treating education as a long-term investment, equipping both teachers and learners with simple, practical digital tools that build genuine capability over time.
The conference forms part of JA Malta's ongoing commitment to building a financially literate and future-ready generation, closely aligned with the OECD/INFE framework and Malta's National Strategy for Financial Capability.
With support from partners including HSBC Malta Foundation, Mastercard, Bank of Valletta, APS Bank, the Ministry for Education, FinanceMalta, the National Skills Council, Malta Financial Services Authority, Malta Digital Innovation Authority, and Malta Enterprise, the initiative demonstrates the kind of multi-stakeholder collaboration needed to create lasting change.
As Malta continues to position itself as a forward-thinking financial services hub, events like Digital Finance Frontiers underscore the importance of ensuring that technological advancement goes hand-in-hand with genuine financial capability across all segments of society. The challenge now lies in translating the insights and commitments made at the conference into tangible programmes and measurable outcomes that benefit all Maltese citizens – a challenge that both JA Malta and CapableMind are empowered to take on.