On 4 July 2018, the Maltese Parliament has unanimously approved a trio of cryptocurrency related bills as follows:

  1. The Malta Digital Innovation Authority Act which shall provide for the establishment of an authority to be known as the Malta Digital Innovation Authority.
  2. The Virtual Financial Assets Act which shall regulate the field of Initial Virtual Financial Asset Offerings, or as more commonly referred to Initial Coin Offerings, Virtual Financial Assets and cryptocurrency currency exchanges whilst outlining the licensing requirements, the application, granting and cancellation of such licenses and provide for other matters ancillary thereto or connected therewith.
  3. The Innovative Technology Arrangements and Services Act which shall mainly provide for the regulation of designated innovative technology arrangements as well as of designated innovative technology services.

Malta is one of the first jurisdictions worldwide having in place specific legislation regulating this technology thus making Malta, an EU Member State, attractive to blockchain based companies and Initial Coin Offering (ICO) issuers.   Indeed, Malta has already seen several large cryptocurrency exchanges moving operations whilst the crypto friendly legislation was progressing.

Through the certification of technology arrangements, registration of service providers and regulation of ICOs, Malta will provide legal certainty and integrity to the industry and protection to both companies and investors.