Reference is made to the Transitory Period allowed in terms of Article 62 of the Virtual Financial Assets (“VFA”) Act (“the Act”), which came to an end on 31 October 2019, wherein entities were allowed to provide VFA services. Following the expiry of the transitory period, entities operating under the transitory provisions had the below options:

1. If they wished to continue providing VFA services, they were required to submit to the Malta Financial Services Authority (“MFSA”) a Letter of Intent to initiate the application process for a VFA Services Licence; or
2. If they did not want to continue providing VFA services, they were required to submit a cessation of activities notification to the MFSA in terms of Section 3 of the Circular to Virtual Financial Asset Service Providers.

Following the expiry of the transitory period, the MFSA is aware of a number of entities which have availed themselves of the transitory provisions, thus were providing VFA services, but have failed to submit either the Letter of Intent to initiate the application process for a VFA Services Licence or a cessation of activities notification.

The Authority would like to inform the public in Malta and abroad, that the entities listed below are NOT licensed NOR authorised by the MFSA to provide any VFA services or other financial services nor have they initiated the application process to obtain a VFA services licence:

Table Last Updated: 25 April 2022

The MFSA would like to remind consumers of financial services not to enter into any financial services transaction unless they have ascertained that the entity with whom the transaction is being made is authorised to provide such services by the MFSA or another reputable financial services regulator.

Financial regulations oblige licensed entities to comply with strict legal requirements in the interest of investors and the integrity of the market. The activities of unlicensed entities are unregulated, making transactions with such entities risky for investors.

A list of MFSA licensed entities is available and can be viewed on the official website of the MFSA at https://www.mfsa.mt/financial-services-register/.

Verżjoni bil-Malti

Referenza qed issir għall-Perjodu Tranżitorju skont it-termini tal-Artikolu 62 tal-Att dwar l-Attiv Finanzjarju Virtwali (“VFA” jew “l-Att”), li intemm fil-31 ta’ Ottubru 2019 u li permezz tiegħu l-entitajiet setgħu jipprovdu servizzi VFA. Wara li skada l-perjodu ta’ transizzjoni, l-entitajiet li kienu joperaw taħt id-dispożizzjonijiet transitorji kellhom dawn l-għażliet:

1. Jekk riedu jkomplu jipprovdu servizzi VFA, kienu meħtieġa li jissottomettu ittra ta’ intenzjoni lill-Awtorità għas-Servizzi Finanzjarji ta’ Malta (“MFSA” jew “l-Awtorità”) biex iniedi l-proċess ta’ applikazzjoni għal Liċenzja ta’ Servizzi VFA; jew
2. Jekk ma riedux ikomplu jipprovdu servizzi VFA, kienu mitluba jibgħatu notifika lill-MFSA għall-waqfien tal-attivitajiet skont it-Taqsima 3 taċ-Ċirkolari lill-Fornituri ta’ Servizzi VFA (Circular to Virtual Financial Asset Service Providers).

Wara li skada l-perjodu ta’ transizzjoni, l-MFSA ġiet mgħarrfa b’numru ta’ entitajiet li approfittaw minn dawn id-dispożizzjonijiet transitorji u li għaldaqstant kienu qed jipprovdu servizzi VFA, iżda naqsu milli jissottomettu l-ittra ta’ intenzjoni biex jibdew il-proċess ta’ applikazzjoni għal Liċenzja ta’ Servizzi VFA jew notifika dwar il-waqfien tal-attivitajiet.

L-Awtorità tixtieq tinforma lill-pubbliku f’Malta u barra mill-pajjiż, li l-entitajiet elenkati hawn fuq M’HUMIEX liċenzjati u LANQAS HUMA awtorizzati mill-MFSA biex jipprovdu xi servizzi VFA jew kwalunkwe servizz finanzjarju ieħor, u lanqas ma bdew il-proċess ta’ applikazzjoni biex jiksbu liċenzja tas-Servizzi VFA.

L-MFSA għalhekk tixtieq tfakkar lill-konsumaturi ta’ servizzi finanzjarji biex ma jidħlu f’ebda transazzjoni ta’ servizzi finanzjarji qabel ma jkunu ċerti li l-entità li magħha qed issir it-transazzjoni hija awtorizzata li tipprovdi dawk is-servizzi mill-MFSA jew minn xi regolatur ieħor tas-servizzi finanzjarji ta’ reputazzjoni tajba.

Ir-regolamenti finanzjarji jobbligaw entitajiet liċenzjati biex jikkonformaw ma’ rekwiżiti legali stretti fl-interess tal-investituri u l-integrità tas-suq. L-attivitajiet ta’ entitajiet mhux liċenzjati mhumiex regolati, u għalhekk kwalunkwe transazzjoni ma’ dawn l-entitajiet hija riskjuża għall-investituri.

Lista ta’ entitajiet liċenzjati mill-MFSA hija disponibbli fuq is-sit uffiċjali tal-MFSA fuq https://www.mfsa.mt/financial-services-register/.