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Mortgage Credit Intermediaries in Malta: What Applicants Need to Know Following the 2026 Reforms Financial Services Regulatory & Fintech

Mortgage Credit Intermediaries in Malta: What Applicants Need to Know Following the 2026 Reforms

In Malta, a business assisting prospective homebuyers in securing mortgage financing may not itself provide the loan. Nevertheless, depending on the nature of its activities, it may be required to obtain regulatory admission from the Malta Financial Services Authority (“MFSA”). On 4 November 2026, the MFSA published revised Credit Intermediaries Rules relating to Mortgage Credit Agreements (the “Rules”), following the introduction of the Mortgage Credit Intermediaries (Admission) Regulations, 2026, through Legal Notice 263 of 2026. Although admission requirements for mortgage credit intermediaries were already established under Malta's implementation of Directive 2014/17/EU (the “Mortgage Credit Directive”), the revised framework aligns the…
Rachel Gauci
10th November 2026
Beyond Sustainability Promises: ESMA Clarifies Impact and Climate Transition Claims Financial Services Regulatory & Fintech

Beyond Sustainability Promises: ESMA Clarifies Impact and Climate Transition Claims

An investment fund may hold shares in a renewable energy company without necessarily contributing to the environmental benefits that company generates. Similarly, a fund may report a lower portfolio carbon footprint even when emissions from its investee companies have not fallen. These distinctions matter when sustainability-related claims are communicated to investors. On 27 October 2026, the Malta Financial Services Authority (“MFSA”) issued a circular drawing attention to two thematic notes published by the European Securities and Markets Authority (“ESMA”) on 12 October 2026. The notes address impact claims and climate transition claims made in non-regulatory communications, including marketing materials and…
Rachel Gauci
4th November 2026
Prediction Markets in Malta: Financial Instruments, Crypto-Assets or Bets? Financial Services Regulatory & Fintech

Prediction Markets in Malta: Financial Instruments, Crypto-Assets or Bets?

Will a company's share price rise? Will a football team win its next match? Prediction markets allow people to trade contracts based on the outcomes of such events. While the concept may appear straightforward, the legal position is less so. Depending on the nature of the contract, what looks like a simple prediction could be treated as a financial instrument, a crypto-asset or a bet. On 19 October 2026, the Malta Financial Services Authority (“MFSA”) issued a circular on Prediction Markets and Event Contracts, clarifying how existing regulatory frameworks may apply to this increasingly prominent business model. What Exactly Are…
Rachel Gauci
23rd October 2026