Payment & electronic money

Given its extensive experience in financial services regulation, Ganado Advocates is well placed to assist clients wishing to obtain a license from the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) to act as an e-money institution or a payment services institution. Over the past decade, Ganado Advocates has been very active in assisting digital banks, payment institutions and electronic money institutions with all regulatory requirements as well as in all aspects of their day to day needs, including employment, outsourcing, consumer legislation and AML compliance obligations. More recently, the firm has assisted a number of companies with PSD 2 preparation and ensuring compliance with the various regulatory technical standards being issued on an ongoing basis. The firm has also been involved in a number of crowdfunding initiatives, assisting clients with the use of technology for their processes.

Technological progress and the exponential growth of e-commerce have created a niche market in the industry for financial institutions providing electronic money and payment services. Having implemented Directive (EU) 2015/2366 on payment services in the internal market and Directive 2009/110/EC relating to the taking up, pursuit and prudential supervision of the business of electronic money institutions, Malta opened its doors to a number of players in this market.