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Mario Mizzi

Scene in Valletta
Family Offices Get Maltese Investment Law Exemption Investment Services & Funds

Family Offices Get Maltese Investment Law Exemption

Family offices which choose to manage their global investments from Malta have been given a new legal exemption through a recent amendment in the applicable investment services rulebook of the Malta Financial Services Authority (“MFSA”). On the  27th of November 2024, the MFSA issued a circular titled “Establishment of Single Family Offices in Malta”. The circular provides that a Notified Professional Investor Fund (“NPIF”) which is set up to solely manage the investment of a single family office (without raising external capital) does not require a licensed fund manager anymore. This is a beneficial exemption which reduces cost and bureaucracy…
Mario Mizzi
28th November 2024
Furthering MiCAR in Malta by Chapter 647
Fintech Insights #8 –
Furthering MiCAR in Malta by Chapter 647 FinTech

Fintech Insights #8 –
Furthering MiCAR in Malta by Chapter 647

Chapter 647 of the Laws of Malta, titled the Markets In Crypto-Assets Act (hereinafter referred to as “Chapter 647”), integrates all aspects of Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 of the European Parliament and Council on markets in crypto-assets (“MiCAR”). MiCAR regulates the issuers of asset-referenced tokens (“ARTs”), electronic money tokens (“EMTs”), other types of tokens, as well as the conduct of crypto asset service providers (“CASPs”). Malta’s presidential assent to Chapter 647 was given on the 5th of November 2024 through  Act No. XXXVI of 2024 (“Act 36 (2024)”); and it was promulgated on the same day. Similar to MiCAR, Act 36…
Mario Mizzi
12th November 2024
EU AI Act series
AI in Investment Services: MIFID Considerations Investment Services & Funds

AI in Investment Services: MIFID Considerations

This article is part of our EU AI Act series which explores the effect of the AI Act across various industries and sectors.  Investment legislation can be split into two broad categories: investment funds and investment services. The former principally relates to UCITS, AIFMD and local laws which regulate asset management and their service providers. The latter relates to regulating financial instruments and the investment markets thereof. The interplay of AI with investment funds was discussed by our Firm in a series of six insights last year titled “AI and Funds” which can be read here.  Hence, in this article in the ongoing…
Mario Mizzi
25th October 2024
Key representing digital resilience
Status of DORA Regulatory Technical Standards (“RTS”) DORAFinTechTelecoms, Media & Technology

Status of DORA Regulatory Technical Standards (“RTS”)

Regulation (EU) 2022/2554 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 on digital operational resilience for the financial sector ( “DORA”) establishes the EU legislative framework for enhancing digital resilience within the EU’s financial industry. Enforcement commences on 17th January 2025 and the EU Commission is tasked with issuing Regulatory Technical Standards (“RTS”) which supplement DORA. The EU Commission publishes the RTS in the Official Journal as Commission Delegated Regulations, but they are largely based on the input of the European Supervisory Authorities (“ESA”) which comprise of ESMA, EBA and EIOPA. The draft RTS submitted to the European…
Mario Mizzi
17th September 2024
Mamo TCV Advocates - Integration of EU’s MiCAR in Maltese law
FinTech Insights #7 –
Integration of EU’s MiCAR in Maltese law FinTech

FinTech Insights #7 –
Integration of EU’s MiCAR in Maltese law

Malta has been a forerunner in regulating digital assets with the introduction of the Virtual Financial Assets Act, Chapter 590 of the Laws of Malta (the “VFA Act”) back in 2018.  Following its approval in 2022 and publication in 2023, Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 of the European Parliament and Council on markets in crypto-assets (“MiCAR”) has an 18-month window to become fully enforceable by 30th December 2024. However, MiCAR’s Title III and Title IV on issuing and regulating stablecoins will be applicable from 30th June 2024 according to Article 149 MiCAR.  Rules on crypto-asset service providers in Title V of MiCAR…
Mario Mizzi
26th June 2024
Mamo TCV Advocates: Payments Insights #3 – Existing and Upcoming Strong Customer Authentication Requirements for PSPs
Payments Insights #3 –
Existing and Upcoming Strong Customer Authentication Requirements for PSPs Banking & FinanceFinTech

Payments Insights #3 –
Existing and Upcoming Strong Customer Authentication Requirements for PSPs

When the Second Payment Services Directive1 (‘PSD2’) replaced the First Payment Service Directive, the European Union (‘EU’) introduced the requirement of Strong Customer Authentication (‘SCA’). SCA enhances the security of electronic payments through additional layers of authentication with the aim to mitigate payment fraud. As we noted in the previous Payment Insight, the European Banking Authority (the ‘EBA’) opines that SCA requirements have been successful in preventing payments fraud resulting from the theft of customers’ credentials. In view of this, the upcoming amendments to the payment services regime will see the SCA requirements being enhanced in the proposed Payment Services…
Mario Mizzi
30th May 2024