Malta Strengthens Financial Crime Cooperation Through Asian Partnership

The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) sent a high-level delegation to Southern China and Hong Kong at the end of last year, where discussions focused on financial crime prevention, supervisory practices, and long-term cooperation between the regulators.

The mission, which took place between 30th November and 4th December, was led by Matthew Scicluna, Head of Financial Crime Compliance at the MFSA, together with Ray Schembri, Head of Insurance and Pensions Supervision. They were joined by Doreen Balzan, Senior Technical Advisor (Financial Crime Compliance), Catherine Attard, Deputy Head (Office of Chief Officer Supervision), and Anthony Tomaselli Chetcuti, Senior Technical Expert (Insurance & Pensions Supervision). The delegation was supported by Malta's Ambassador to China, H.E. John Busuttil, as part of broader efforts to build lasting relationships with global partners.

Scicluna told Business Now that the purpose of the trip was “knowledge-sharing from a regulatory perspective, as well as building bridges with our counterparts.” He added that there was a business dimension to the trip since forming these relationships will set “the tone for [a] deeper, mutual understanding of different markets, whilst identifying opportunities and assessing what could potentially be introduced to Malta in a sustainable and well-regulated manner.”

During the visit, officials met with the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, discussing corporate fraud detection, investigative models, and public-private partnerships in financial crime prevention. Additionally, whilst in Hong Kong, part of the delegation attended the Insurtech Asia, one of the largest conferences for the insurance sector in the area so as to gain a closer view on the specificities of the Asian market.

The delegation’s meetings in Shenzhen included discussions with senior government and regulatory officials, including representatives from the Shenzhen Foreign Affairs Office. Discussions also touched on mobility and cooperation frameworks relevant to financial services engagement.

In terms of outcomes, the trip allowed the MFSA to identify future collaboration opportunities, particularly in training and capacity-building. Several action points are already being considered, including technical workshops and a possible financial crime-focused conference in 2026.