The EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) provides in Article 70(4) that a crypto-asset service provider (CASP) offering payment services related to its crypto activities must either obtain a payment institution authorisation itself or partner with an authorised payment service provider (PSP) under PSD2. This reflects the “dual nature” of certain crypto-assets: notably, MiCA classifies e-money tokens (i.e. stablecoins) as electronic money, meaning they are not only crypto-assets under MiCA but also “funds” under the Second Payment Services Directive (PSD2). In practice, this dual status raised uncertainty about whether CASPs dealing in stablecoins need a separate PSD2 licence in addition…
Following the European Commission’s earlier rejection, the Regulatory Technical Standards (RTS) on ICT Subcontracting have been published in the EU Official Journal on 2 July 2025. The RTS will enter into force 20 days after publication, which means that they will come into effect on 22 July 2025. Financial entities and ICT providers must ensure to update their contractual arrangements to fulfil the conditions set out in the RTS to ensure compliance by 22 July 2025. To receive updates on this important development and related news please visit our website and consider subscribing to our newsletter. This document does not purport…
On the 18th June 2025, Bill no. 136, the Companies (Amendment) Bill (the “Bill”), was presented to Parliament by the Minister for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects for its first reading and was published in the Government Gazette on the 24th June 2025. The Bill proposes a number of amendments to the Companies Act (Chapter 386 of the laws of Malta) (the “Act”). This article is the second of a two-part series which provides an overview the main amendments to the Act relating to limited liability companies. The first part of this series may be accessed here. Changes relating…