In an extensive report, Opalesque gives a healthy check to
Malta's financial services industry, noting that Malta as a
funds and finance centre is on a healthy growth path. In 2015, 112
new funds were registered and two new custodians and 22 new
investment managers were licensed. The insurance gross premium was
up 33.6% year on year and pension assets were up 66% year on year,
with now 38 retirement schemes and 27 asset managers in that
sector.
The report notes that in the early days of AIFMD, one of the
main criticisms was that it was forcing regulation on investors who
do not need or require the protection afforded by AIFMD and that
this regulation will increase compliance costs for those type of
investors that do not need or want this protection. Malta has
designed a solution for these type of investors where they could,
through a new regime called Notified Alternative Investment Funds
structure (Notified AIFs / NAIFs) reduce their compliance costs, if
they so
