The Malta Asset Management Forum: A decade of impact on Malta’s financial sector

Looking back over the past ten years, the Malta Asset Management Forum, jointly organised by Deloitte Malta, Ganado Advocates, and Alter Domus, has evolved into a defining event for Malta’s financial services landscape, helping shape how the sector operates.

Ten years ago, the three firms hosted a meeting of Malta’s asset managers, Regulators, and service providers with the intention of developing ideas to solve sectoral challenges. What started as a small conversation has grown to be a leading forum for industry leaders and a catalyst for regulatory innovation, sectoral collaboration, and thought leadership. Over the years, the forum has shaped policy, influenced how asset managers operate, and how the island positions itself as a competitive financial hub.

In the same ten years, Malta’s asset management sector has more than doubled in assets under management, and in a country where every contribution counts, has become an important piece of our economic puzzle.  

The foundations for success

Malta’s emergence as a competitive asset management jurisdiction didn’t happen by chance. It was driven by two intentionally placed foundations: a favourable fiscal regime and a Regulator committed to staying at the forefront of global financial innovation. These pillars have attracted fund managers and investors seeking an efficient, compliant domicile and stimulated development of services which support the industry.

One of Malta’s distinguishing features is the proactive approach of the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA). The Regulator has consistently anticipated regulatory trends, from financial regulations like MIFID II and data protection rules like GDPR in the early years to cybersecurity requirements, sustainability disclosure rules, and frameworks for digital assets today. This has helped keep Malta’s regulatory environment competitive without compromising integrity.

The forum has been the place where regulatory foresight was translated into market reality. By convening the MFSA alongside practitioners, service providers, and legal experts, the forum created a shared understanding of how regulations would be implemented and opportunities would be created. This dialogue has been essential to maintaining investor and manager confidence in Malta as a jurisdiction.

Evolution and growth

The forum’s trajectory mirrors Malta’s own economic transformation. During the early years, the sector grappled with foundational regulatory concerns, but today it addresses more sophisticated challenges: digital security, sustainability reporting, digital versions of assets, and emerging cryptocurrency investment types. The forum’s core mission remains unchanged. It bridges regulatory intent with market practice, ensuring Malta’s asset management ecosystem remains robust, innovative, and competitive.

In 2025, the local financial services sector contributed around €1.3 billion to Malta’s economy in gross value added, accounting for 7.3% of the country’s total. By December of that year, it employed around 6.2% of Malta’s workforce. The asset management market is growing and plays an important role in the health of the financial sector and the broader economy. We have also seen a market characterised by fewer, larger, and more professionally managed funds. This profile shows that the current model has worked but also that evolution may be needed to attract new entrants. With a firm eye on the future, Malta is evolving. New regulatory frameworks have opened the door to private equity, venture capital, real estate, and digital assets. These new structures, together with more diverse fund management strategies, position Malta as a domicile that appeals to the next generation of investors and creates new opportunities for the sector.

The forum has been instrumental in building the institutional knowledge and trust that underpin growth. By convening Regulators, practitioners, and service providers annually, it has created shared understanding of best practices and emerging opportunities across all sub-sectors. This consistency of dialogue has fostered the confidence necessary for sustained sectoral expansion.