Company Formation

Malta Company Formation

The full imputation system refunds a 35% headline down to 5% effective on distributed trading profit. We form the entity and run the mechanics.

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Why Form a Company in Malta?

Malta offers the EU’s widest gap between headline and effective corporate tax: a 35% statutory rate that the full imputation system refunds down to a 5% effective rate on distributed trading profits, inside a full EU member state. An EU member since 2004 and a eurozone economy, it pairs that low effective rate with English as an official language, English-based company law, and a deep iGaming, gambling, and fintech professional-services base built over two decades. For operators chasing a low EU tax rate without an offshore stigma, it is a leading choice, and one we deliver directly.

Expert Comment

Malta’s 5% effective rate is a refund to the shareholder, not a rate the company keeps, so the structure works only if you can fund the 35% corporate tax upfront and defer the cash return until after distribution and the shareholder claim processes. This makes Malta better suited to founder-owned structures with sufficient working capital or external backing than to passive investors or entities with immediate cash needs. If your model demands the rate in hand, Cyprus’s flat 15% the company retains may suit you better, and we model both before you choose.

Daniel Tomberg CEO & Senior Partner, Tomberg & Partners

An EU Base, Not an Offshore One

A Malta company is an EU company. Once it holds the relevant licence it can passport crypto-asset or payment services across all 30 European Economic Area states, an advantage an offshore company cannot match. Malta pairs that standing with a regulator, the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), that was an early mover on crypto and now authorises crypto-asset service providers under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation. We form the entity, build the substance, and take it through to a passportable licence where you need one.

The 5% Effective Rate, Honestly Framed

Malta’s 5% effective rate is real, but it is a refund, not a low headline rate. The company pays 35% on profits, then the shareholder reclaims 6/7ths of that tax on distribution, netting a 5% effective burden on trading income. The model needs working capital to fund the tax until the refund pays out, and a shareholder layer designed to receive it. We build that structure correctly from the start.

Clean Standing After a Real Test

Malta was grey-listed by the Financial Action Task Force from June 2021 and removed on 17 June 2022 after beneficial-ownership and enforcement reforms. It now sits on no FATF or EU list. The episode matters for one practical reason: Maltese banks tightened onboarding and have not fully relaxed, so banking is the part of a Malta setup that needs the most planning, and the part we manage most actively for you.

Which Business Models Suit Malta

Malta is not right for everyone, and we will tell you when it is not. It earns its place for operators who want the EU’s lowest effective tax with a credible onshore domicile, and who can work with the refund cash-flow and build real substance. Here is who we form Malta companies for, and who we steer elsewhere.

  • iGaming and gambling operators wanting an EU base with a regulator that understands the sector and a deep specialist services pool.
  • Crypto and Web3 businesses targeting an EU-passportable MiCA crypto-asset service provider authorisation from a credible domicile.
  • Fintech and payments companies heading for an electronic-money or payment-institution licence with EEA reach.
  • Forex and trading firms and other regulated operators that need EU standing and the 5% effective rate on distributed trading profit.
  • Holding structures using the participation exemption on qualifying dividends and gains.
  • × Founders who need frictionless local crypto banking on day one. Malta banking is slow; we plan around it, but it is a constraint, not a formality.
  • × Businesses that cannot fund the 35% tax before the refund arrives. The 5% is a refund you finance first.
  • × Large groups above EUR 750 million revenue that fall under the Pillar Two top-up, where the 5% outcome may not survive.
  • × US persons. We do not take on US persons as clients.
Not sure if Malta fits? That is exactly the conversation a free consultation answers. We will be candid about whether Malta, or a jurisdiction we also deliver such as Cyprus or Estonia, is the better fit for your model.

What We Do for You

We are not a referral service. We form your Malta company ourselves, file the work, and stand behind it. Some of the work is in-house; the rest is delivered by Malta-based lawyers, accountants, and licensed specialists we have personally vetted and work with directly. You deal with one accountable firm and one point of contact, never an anonymous chain of intermediaries, and we never offload you to a stranger.

We deliverWhat that means in practice
StructuringWe design the entity, the share capital, and the shareholder layer that actually receives the 6/7ths refund, sized to your model and your licensing plan
IncorporationWe prepare the memorandum and articles, reserve the name, deposit the paid-up capital, and file with the Malta Business Registry through the BAROS portal
Registered office & secretaryWe provide the mandatory Malta registered office and the statutory company secretary
Tax, VAT & UBOWe register the income-tax number, handle VAT under Article 10 or the Article 11 small-undertaking regime, and file and maintain beneficial ownership
SubstanceWe build the office, local directorship, and documented Malta decision-making that protect tax residence, the refund, and banking
BankingWe pre-qualify your profile against institutional appetite and run the banking workstream in parallel, placing the operating layer with a licensed EU electronic-money institution or a credit institution as the profile warrants
LicensingWhere you need it, we take the company through to MiCA crypto-asset or e-money and payment authorisation from the MFSA
Ongoing complianceWe run the annual return, financial statements, tax filings and refund claims, and keep the entity in good standing year after year
One accountable firm. When we say we will form and run your Malta company, we mean we do the work and we own the outcome. When something genuinely needs a specialist, we route it only to a partner we control and trust.

Entity Types Under Malta Law

The Companies Act, Chapter 386 defines the company vehicles used in Malta, and the Private Limited Liability Company (kumpanija privata, Ltd) sits behind the overwhelming majority of structures and almost every licensed-fintech or crypto applicant. It is the vehicle we form for almost every Malta client; the alternatives below are layered on top, not used instead.

Definition: Private Limited Liability Company (Ltd)

The Malta Ltd is a private limited-liability company governed by the Companies Act, Chapter 386. It has a minimum authorised share capital of EUR 1,164.69, of which 20% must be paid up on incorporation (about EUR 232.94), needs at least one director and a mandatory company secretary, and may have up to 50 shareholders with 100% foreign ownership. A private company normally needs two shareholders, but a single-member private exempt company is permitted. It keeps accounts under IFRS or the local General Accounting Principles for Small and Medium-sized Entities (GAPSME) standard and is the eligible vehicle for a Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) crypto-asset service provider authorisation, an investment-services licence, or an electronic-money or payment-institution licence.

Alternatives to the Ltd

EntityMin. CapitalUsed For
Private LtdEUR 1,164.69 (20% paid)The standard vehicle for trading, holding, and licensed structures
Public Limited Company (Plc)EUR 46,587.47 (25% paid)Listings and public offers; minimum 2 directors and 2 members
Partnership en nom collectif / en commanditeNone fixedTaxed transparently at partner level; flexible for joint ventures
Branch of an overseas companyNoneRegistered as an oversea company under Part XI; no separate legal personality
European Company (SE)EUR 120,000Cross-border seat transfer within the EU
Foundation or trustn/aAn asset-holding and estate overlay, not a trading vehicle
In practice: for a licensed crypto or payments business the choice is effectively made for you. The MFSA expects an incorporated Malta Ltd with a real office and operational substance scaled to the business. We layer the foundation and holding structures on top where they earn their place, never instead of the Ltd.

How We Form Your Malta Company

We incorporate your Malta company by filing the memorandum and articles of association with the Malta Business Registry, with our Malta-based specialists on the ground. A physical Malta registered office is mandatory, but you rarely need to travel; we run the formation remotely. The genuine bottleneck is not the Registry, it is banking, so we run that as a parallel workstream from day one rather than waiting until after incorporation.

In short: registration takes 3 to 7 working days once the Malta Business Registry has complete documentation, and as little as 24 to 48 hours for a straightforward structure. Being operational with an account commonly takes 4 to 10 weeks, and materially longer for crypto and non-resident-heavy profiles. We plan the banking timeline from the outset so it does not surprise you.
Step 1: Due Diligence & KYC 1–5 days

Due Diligence and KYC

We collect certified ID, proof of address, a reference, and source-of-funds evidence for each director, shareholder, and beneficial owner. Clean documentation here is the single biggest driver of a smooth timeline at the Registry and, later, at the bank, so we get it right before anything is filed.

Step 2: Name Reservation 1–2 working days

Name Reservation

We check the proposed name against the Registry index; it must end in “Limited” or “Ltd”, and sensitive words such as “Bank”, “Insurance” or “Trust” need prior consent. We pre-clear alternatives so a rejected name never resets your clock.

Step 3: Drafting & Capital Deposit 1–3 days

Drafting and Capital Deposit

We draft the memorandum and articles, setting the authorised capital and the objects clause to match your activity. The 20% paid-up portion, about EUR 232.94 on the minimum, is deposited and evidenced for the Registry, and we prepare the beneficial-ownership declaration.

Step 4: Filing with the Registry 24–48 hours; up to 3–7 days

Filing with the Malta Business Registry

We file electronically through the Registry’s BAROS portal. Once it has complete documentation the certificate can issue in 24 to 48 hours; allow 3 to 7 working days for the full sequence including name and due-diligence review.

Step 5: Tax, VAT & UBO Registration After incorporation

Tax, VAT and Beneficial-Ownership Registration

We register the income-tax number with the Malta Tax and Customs Administration, register for VAT where applicable (Article 10 or the Article 11 small-undertaking regime), and confirm and maintain the beneficial-ownership (UBO) filing.

Step 6: Banking & Account Onboarding 4–12+ weeks

Banking and Account Onboarding

Opening an account is the genuine bottleneck, so we begin it in parallel with incorporation. A clean, substance-backed company onboards faster; a crypto-adjacent profile takes longer and may route to a licensed EU electronic-money institution rather than a Maltese bank. We pre-qualify your profile and manage it. The Banking section below sets out the reality in full.

Forming as a Non-Resident

Malta places no nationality restriction on ownership and allows fully remote formation, so as a non-resident you rarely need to travel for the incorporation itself. The two elements that need attention are the substance question, whether to appoint a Malta-resident director, and the apostille chain for documents executed abroad. We handle both, and provide the local directorship and secretary where you want them.

In short: you can own 100% of a Malta Ltd and form it remotely. A local director is not legally required to incorporate, but we strongly advise one for management-and-control substance, which underpins both Malta tax residence and the refund position. A company secretary and a physical Malta registered office are mandatory, and we supply both. US persons are not taken on as clients.
RequirementPosition
Foreign ownership100% permitted; no nationality restriction
Shareholders2 minimum; single-member private exempt company permitted
Local directorNot required by law to incorporate, but strongly advised for management-and-control substance and tax-residence defensibility
Company secretaryMandatory; we provide a local secretary
Registered officeMandatory physical Malta address (not a mailbox); we provide it
Remote formationFully feasible; presence usually only for some bank onboarding
ApostilleMalta is party to the Hague Apostille Convention; foreign documents typically need notarisation and apostille, with certified translation where not in English or Maltese

Government Fees and the Real Cost

This is the section competitors fudge, so we lead with the honest split. The government registry fee is from EUR 100 (electronic) or EUR 245 (paper), scaling with authorised capital, plus the EUR 232.94 paid-up capital that stays in your company. That is the public part. Everything that makes the company bankable and operational, office, secretary, accounting, substance, and banking, depends on your structure and activity, and we quote it as one honest, all-in number after a free consultation, with no surprise line items.

Government and Official Fees (as of June 2026)

Fee ItemAmountNotes
Registration fee (electronic, min. capital)EUR 100Filed via the Malta Business Registry BAROS portal; scales by authorised capital up to EUR 2,250
Registration fee (paper, min. capital)EUR 245Higher than the electronic equivalent at every capital band
Paid-up capital (cash on incorporation)EUR 232.9420% of the EUR 1,164.69 minimum; stays in the company, not a fee
Annual return fee (electronic, min. capital)From EUR 100Scales by authorised capital up to EUR 1,400
VAT registrationEUR 0No registry charge; Article 10 or Article 11 small-undertaking
A budget caution: if anyone quotes you “EUR 245, all done in three days”, they are quoting the registry line and the optimistic case, not the cost of a company you can actually bank and run. We quote honestly from the start, and we flag that the 35% tax is funded upfront before the 6/7ths refund arrives, which is a cash-flow line you must finance, not a fee. Tell us your model and we will give you a single, clear number for the work we deliver.

Taxation and the 5% Effective Rate

Malta taxes corporate profit at a 35% headline rate, but operates a full imputation system that refunds tax to shareholders on distribution, so the effective rate on trading income falls to 5%. The mechanism is the whole story, and the part most pages omit. The table below states the position as it stands; the refund mechanics and the 2026 Pillar Two change follow in the subsections. We design the structure that captures it cleanly.

ItemPosition (as of June 2026)
Corporate income tax (headline)35% on worldwide chargeable income
Effective rate, trading income5% after the 6/7ths shareholder refund
Effective rate, passive interest / royaltiesAbout 10% after the 5/7ths refund
Effective rate, with double-tax relief2/3rds refund where foreign tax relief is claimed
Participating holdingFull participation exemption (or 100% refund) on qualifying dividends and gains, generally 5%+ holdings
Pillar Two (global minimum tax)Malta has deferred its income-inclusion rule and domestic top-up under the EU Directive transitional option; the 15% minimum still reaches groups above EUR 750m via other jurisdictions’ top-up rules
VAT18% standard; Article 11 small-undertaking threshold around EUR 35,000
Withholding tax on outbound dividends0% to shareholders, resident or non-resident
Tax residence basisIncorporation (resident and domiciled); foreign companies resident if managed and controlled in Malta
TransparencyCRS in force; CARF and DAC8 transposing, first crypto reporting 2027

How the 6/7ths Refund Works

The company pays 35% corporate tax in full. When it distributes a dividend, the shareholder claims credit for the 35% paid and a refund of 6/7ths of the tax on trading income, netting to 5%. Two consequences follow: the 35% must be funded before the refund arrives, so the structure needs working capital, and the refund is paid to the shareholder, not the company. Passive interest and royalties carry a 5/7ths refund (about 10% effective), and a 2/3rds refund applies where double-tax relief is claimed. We build the shareholder layer that receives the refund and file the claim for you.

The 2026 Pillar Two Change

From 1 January 2026 Malta applies the EU Minimum Tax Directive (Directive (EU) 2022/2523), so in-scope groups with consolidated revenue above EUR 750 million face a 15% effective floor through the top-up mechanism, and the 5% outcome may not survive for those groups. A separate 15% Final Income Tax Without Imputation election (Legal Notice 188 of 2025, 2 September 2025) lets entities opt out of the imputation system for a flat final tax, for at least five years. Below the EUR 750 million threshold, the 6/7ths refund and the 5% effective rate are unchanged. We model both before you commit.

What this means for you: below the EUR 750 million threshold the 5% stands, but it is a refund you fund first and reclaim later, not a low rate the company keeps. We build the cash-flow model around that timing and design the shareholder layer that receives the refund before you incorporate, so the 5% is real rather than theoretical.

Banking (a Supporting Part of the Job)

Opening an account is the hardest and slowest step of a Malta setup, frequently harder than licensing itself, and we will not pretend otherwise. It is the legacy of the 2021 to 2022 FATF grey-listing and the correspondent-bank pressure that followed, when Maltese banks tightened onboarding sharply and have not fully relaxed since. Banking is not our headline service, but it is the part of a Malta formation we manage most actively, because it is where most setups stall.

Two different conversations. A clean, substance-backed EU-facing company can expect roughly 4 to 8 weeks at a Maltese credit institution; crypto-adjacent, payments, gaming, or forex models are routinely declined or face 8 to 12 weeks or more of enhanced due diligence. We plan the banking timeline as a constraint, not a formality, and we tell you which conversation you are in before we start.

Banking for Malta-formed entities typically routes to the EU-regulated electronic-money layer. The archetype is a licensed EEA electronic-money institution offering a EUR IBAN with SEPA access, onboarding in days to weeks with lighter but real know-your-customer checks. Client funds sit in segregated safeguarding accounts; these are not deposit-guaranteed banks, and that distinction matters. We prepare the full pack: corporate certificates, certified UBO identification, a business description, expected volumes, and source of funds and wealth. We pre-qualify your profile against institutional appetite before any application is filed, which is what separates a workable stack from months of delay, and we place the operating layer with a licensed EU electronic-money institution or a credit institution as your profile warrants. See our banking overview for how we approach it.

Annual Compliance

A Malta company carries ongoing obligations whether or not it trades. The core duties are an annual return to the Malta Business Registry, annual financial statements, a corporate tax filing, and an up-to-date beneficial-ownership filing. Persistent non-filing escalates from penalties to eventual strike-off. We run all of it for you, year after year, so the entity stays in good standing without you chasing deadlines.

In short: we file the annual return on the company’s registration anniversary with the fee scaled by authorised capital, prepare financial statements under IFRS or GAPSME, file the corporate tax return and process any refund claim, and keep the beneficial-ownership filing current. Qualifying small companies may now file a review report instead of a full audit.
ObligationDetail
Annual returnFiled with the Malta Business Registry on the registration anniversary; fee from EUR 100, scaling by authorised capital
AccountingIFRS or the local GAPSME standard for smaller companies
Tax filingCorporate income tax return; refund claims processed on distribution
Beneficial-ownership filingAnnual confirmation to the Malta Business Registry; changes filed within 14 days
Dormant companiesStill file an annual return and financial statements; reduced scope, not exempt
Strike-offPersistent non-filing leads to Malta Business Registry strike-off under the Companies Act

Audit or Review

Historically every Malta company was audited. Under the Audit Exemption Rules (Legal Notice 139 of 2025), for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2026, qualifying small companies may file a review report instead of a full audit, and the smallest are exempt from any audit or review. The startup exemption covers companies with turnover up to EUR 80,000, subject to shareholder-qualification conditions. Larger companies and regulated entities still require a full statutory audit, and a tax deduction of up to EUR 700 is available for the first two periods of qualifying companies that audit voluntarily. We tell you which regime your company falls into and handle the engagement.

Substance: Management, Control, and the Refund

Malta has no standalone offshore economic-substance filing regime. There is no annual economic-substance return classifying “relevant activities” against substance tests, as in the Cayman Islands or the British Virgin Islands (BVI). That box does not exist here, and pages that import an offshore substance-filing framework onto Malta are simply wrong.

But substance still matters intensely, through different mechanisms, and we build it in from incorporation:

  • EU Anti-Tax Avoidance Directives (ATAD I and II) are fully implemented: controlled-foreign-company rules, interest limitation, exit tax, anti-hybrid measures, and a general anti-abuse rule.
  • Management-and-control determines tax residence and underpins the defensibility of the refund against foreign-authority challenge. Board meetings in Malta, local directors, and documented decision-making are expected.
  • Substance drives banking. Maltese banks probe non-resident-owned structures hard after the FATF episode; a paper company is vulnerable, and paperwork alone will not rescue it.
In short: Malta is not an offshore substance-filing jurisdiction, but substance is non-negotiable for tax residence, the refund, and banking. We build real substance, an office, a local director, and genuine activity, from the start rather than leaving you to retrofit it under challenge.

Licensing Pathways from a Malta Company

A plain Malta Ltd is not a licensed financial entity and gives no EU passport on its own. Passporting comes only with the relevant licence, and the formation structure should be designed for the licence the company intends to hold. We design the entity for the licence from the start, then take it through: incorporate the Ltd, build the office, governance, and substance, and apply for the relevant authorisation. Our dedicated Malta crypto licensing guide covers the MiCA route in full.

[Crypto

MiCA Crypto-Asset Service Provider

Authorised by the MFSA under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), with capital from EUR 50,000 to EUR 150,000 and an EU passport to 30 EEA states.](/crypto-licensing/malta/) [Crypto

Crypto Licensing Overview

The consolidated VASP, CASP, and MiCA framework across jurisdictions, for founders deciding where to authorise an EU-passportable crypto-asset service provider.](/crypto-licensing/) [Payments

EMI and Payment Institution

An electronic money institution (EMI) or payment institution (PI) authorised by the MFSA under PSD2 and the EMD, with EEA passporting.](/emi-licensing/)

MiCA transition deadline: Malta’s earlier Virtual Financial Assets (VFA) regime converts to MiCA. The simplified Article 143(6) conversion route, with a 50% MFSA fee discount, closes on 1 July 2026, after which VFA holders default to the full Category B process. Forming and applying with time to spare matters, and we move fast when the deadline is live. This formation page does not cover licensing in depth; the detail sits on our dedicated Malta crypto licensing page.

The Limitations, and How We Handle Them

Malta’s advantages are covered above: the EU’s lowest effective tax, genuine EU credibility, a participation exemption, an early-mover crypto and fintech ecosystem, 100% foreign ownership, and English-based company law. The limitations cluster around banking friction, the refund cash-flow, and substance. We state them plainly, and each one is something we manage as part of the job rather than leave on your desk.

  • × Difficult banking for non-resident and crypto profiles. Often harder than licensing after the FATF episode. How we handle it: we build the operating layer with a licensed EU electronic-money institution and reserve a Maltese credit institution for substance-backed flows.
  • × The 5% rate is a refund, not a low headline. The 35% is funded upfront and reclaimed later. How we handle it: we model the working capital and design the shareholder layer that receives the refund before you incorporate.
  • × Substance is required, not optional. A paper company is vulnerable to challenge on residence and the refund. How we handle it: we build the office, local directorship, and documented Malta decision-making from incorporation.
  • × Pillar Two narrows the rate for large groups. Groups above EUR 750 million revenue face a 15% top-up from 2026. How we handle it: we confirm your group revenue against the threshold and model the interaction before you rely on 5%.

How Malta Compares

Malta competes within the EU-financial-centre formation cluster: Cyprus, the low-flat-tax onshore peer; the United Kingdom, the common-law corporate base; Ireland, the tech-hub option; and Estonia, the digital-first cost leader. All are EU or EEA-adjacent, so all offer EEA passporting once a company is licensed, except the post-Brexit UK. Malta’s edge is the 5% effective rate and the crypto ecosystem; its weakness is banking friction and the refund cash-flow.

FactorMalta[Cyprus](/company-formation/cyprus/)[United Kingdom](/company-formation/uk/)[Ireland](/company-formation/ireland/)[Estonia](/company-formation/estonia/)
Entity TypePrivate LtdPrivate LtdLTDLTD
Timeline3–7 days5–10 working days~1 day1–5 days~1 day
State FeeEUR 100 (electronic)EUR 165GBP 100 ≈ $135EUR 50EUR 265
Min. CapitalEUR 1,164.69 (20% paid)None (1 share)GBP 1 nominalEUR 1 nominalEUR 0.01 (since 2023)
Corporate Tax35% / 5% effective15%25% (19% small profits)12.5% trading22% on distrib. (0% retained)
EU PassportingYesYesNo (post-Brexit)YesYes
FATF StatusClearClearClearClearClear
Remote ManagementModerateStrongStrongStrongStrongest
Crypto BankingDifficultDifficultModerateModerateModerate
Best ForLowest EU effective tax via the refund, with a crypto ecosystemFlat 15% onshore EU base with treaty accessCommon-law base, fast and cheap, outside the EU passportLow headline trading rate and a tech hubSpeed and fully remote management

Compare every formation jurisdiction side by side →

We form companies in Malta and in every peer in this table: Cyprus, the United Kingdom, and Estonia, including registration, banking, and licensing pathways. Choose Malta if the EU’s lowest effective tax and the crypto ecosystem outweigh the refund cash-flow and the banking friction; consider Cyprus if a flat 15% the company keeps in hand suits you better, the UK for a fast common-law base, or Estonia for fully remote management. For non-resident and crypto profiles, banking is harder in Malta and Cyprus than in Estonia, which is why we plan it rather than assume it. We will tell you straight which one fits your model. See our full Cyprus formation guide to compare the closest EU peer.

Prefer a jurisdiction we deliver end-to-end?

Cyprus is the closest EU peer to Malta on credibility and tax. We form it, bank it, and make it licence-ready, with one point of contact. See how it compares for your business.

Frequently Asked Questions

Formation Basics
How long does Malta company formation take?

Registration takes 3 to 7 working days once the Malta Business Registry has complete documentation, and as little as 24 to 48 hours for straightforward structures. Being fully operational with a bank or e-money account commonly takes 4 to 10 weeks, and longer for crypto and high-risk profiles. A physical Malta registered office is mandatory, but the formation itself can be handled remotely.

Can a non-resident own 100% of a Malta company?

Yes. There is no nationality restriction on shareholders. A private company normally needs two shareholders, but a single-member private exempt company is permitted, and remote formation is fully feasible through a Maltese corporate service provider. Foreign documents typically need notarisation and apostille, with certified translation where they are not in English or Maltese.

What is the minimum share capital for a Malta company?

EUR 1,164.69 authorised share capital for a private limited company, of which 20% must be paid up on incorporation, so about EUR 232.94 in cash. A higher authorised capital raises the Malta Business Registry registration and annual return fees, which scale by capital band, so most companies keep the authorised capital at or near the minimum.

Do I need a local director in Malta?

Not to incorporate. A Malta company needs at least one director and a company secretary, with no statutory residency requirement. But Malta-resident directors and local board meetings are strongly advised to establish management-and-control substance and to protect tax residency and the refund position, which a substance-light structure invites a foreign authority to attack.

Costs & Tax
How much does it cost to form a company in Malta?

The Malta Business Registry incorporation fee starts at EUR 100 electronically (EUR 245 on paper) for the minimum authorised capital, but that government line is not the real cost of a company you can bank and run. The total depends on your structure, your activity, and whether you need licensing and banking. We give you a single, honest quote for the work we deliver after a free consultation.

What is the corporate tax rate in Malta in 2026?

The headline rate is 35%, but Malta’s full imputation system refunds 6/7ths of the tax to shareholders on distribution of trading profits, giving a 5% effective rate. Passive interest and royalties carry a 5/7ths refund (about 10% effective). From 1 January 2026 the EU Minimum Tax Directive applies a 15% Pillar Two floor to multinational and large domestic groups with consolidated revenue above EUR 750 million.

How does Malta's 6/7ths tax refund actually work?

The company pays 35% corporate tax on its profits. When it distributes a dividend, the shareholder claims a refund of 6/7ths of the tax paid on trading income, which nets to a 5% effective rate. The refund is paid to the shareholder, not the company, and only after distribution, so the structure needs working capital to fund the tax before the refund arrives.

Banking & Reputation
How hard is it to open a Malta bank account?

Hard for non-resident-owned and crypto or fintech businesses, often harder than licensing. Maltese retail banks are conservative after the 2021 to 2022 FATF grey-listing. A clean, substance-backed company may take 4 to 8 weeks; higher-risk models face longer enhanced due diligence or decline. Many companies build the operating layer with EU-regulated e-money institutions instead.

Licensing & Compliance
Can a Malta Ltd hold a crypto (MiCA CASP) licence?

Yes. The Ltd is the vehicle, but the licence is a separate MFSA authorisation under MiCA. A plain company is not licensed and cannot passport across the EU without it. Malta’s earlier VFA framework converts to MiCA, with the simplified Article 143(6) conversion route closing on 1 July 2026. We take the company through to authorisation; see our full Malta crypto licensing guide.

Form your Malta company with one accountable firm

We form your Malta Ltd, build the substance, set up tax and VAT, run the banking workstream, and take it through to licensing where you need it, all delivered by us and the Malta specialists we work with directly. One point of contact, one honest quote, and we stand behind the outcome. Tell us your model and we will map the structure, the timeline, and the cost.

Banking & Payments

A company and a licence still need a bank account

Banking is one of our three core services. We help high-risk and regulated businesses open the bank and payment accounts that others refuse: we work directly with EU EMIs, payment institutions and crypto-aware banks, confirm appetite before you apply, and make the introduction. Take it with your company and licence, or on its own.

Explore banking & payments →

Tomberg & Partners

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