Malta Strengthens Position As Leading Jurisdiction For Family Office Structures

Camilleri Preziosi has launched a dedicated Malta Family Office Series as part of its CP Sound Bites podcast, opening with an in-depth conversation between Rachel Coleiro and Claire Tanti, Deputy Head of the Malta Financial Services Authority's (MFSA) Investment Services Supervision Unit. 

The inaugural episode examines the structuring and operation of family offices in Malta, one of the most actively developing areas of the country’s financial services sector.

The discussion sets out the practical distinctions between single family offices, which serve one family and its connected entities versus multi-family offices, which pool services across several client families. These two models carry different governance expectations, footprints, and regulatory approval checkpoints. The choice between them increasingly shapes how families manage wealth, plan succession and allocate assets across multiple jurisdictions.

Central to the episode is the Notified Professional Investor Fund (NPIF) framework, an MFSA structure that offers a streamlined notification route for qualifying funds while retaining investor safeguards. The NPIF model serves as an effective way to adhere to Malta’s regulations while providing investors with flexibility in the context of a family office. The framework has recently gained traction from international families who are considering Malta as a base for structured wealth management. 

The episode also examines the private trust company framework, which allows families to establish bespoke trustee vehicles for their own structures. Coleiro and Tanti outline how a private trust company can be used in isolation or, more powerfully, as part of an integrated arrangement that combines the NPIF framework with private trust company governance. This combined approach reflects a growing sophistication in how families structure their affairs in Malta, drawing on the country's deep financial services expertise.

Future episodes in the series are scheduled to cover back office considerations and broader operational dimensions of running a family office in Malta, building a comprehensive resource for advisers, principals and institutional partners. As demand from international private wealth continues to grow, the MFSA's evolving frameworks and the strength of the local advisory community are expected to cement Malta’s reputation as a family office hub.