Malta’s payment ecosystem is unlike anything in Europe.
It’s small, but hyper-dense.
Regulated, but creatively engineered.
Ambitious, but chronically bottlenecked.

And if you ask operators privately - really privately - they will tell you the same thing:

“Payments are the bloodstream of Malta’s economy… and right now, everyone is fighting for oxygen.”

As someone who has watched this market for over a decade, and sat across from founders, CEOs, regulators, and clients who lost months waiting for a bank account, I can tell you this:

If you don’t understand payments in Malta, you don’t understand Malta at all.

This is the truth  with no mercy, but full respect.

1. Cross-Border Payments: Where Malta Shines and Struggles at the Same Time

Malta is built on international business — iGaming, corporate structures, fintech, logistics, holding companies.
Cross-border payments should be its superpower. Instead, they are its biggest friction point. Why?

Because Malta’s traditional banking sector operates like an old cathedral:
safe, magnificent, respected, but slow, selective, and fundamentally cautious.

• High-risk industries? Long review periods.

• Non-EU UBOs? Prepare for enhanced due diligence.

• Crypto-linked funds? Good luck.

This is why alternative PSPs and EMI platforms have become the real operators of Malta’s global cash flow.

2. Multi-Currency Payments: The Real Power of EMIs

Now let’s talk players; respectfully, but honestly.

Finductive - The Rising Star

Strengths:

• A CEO Alex Konewko who understands banking at a molecular level — ex-HSBC with operational discipline.

• Over 1,000 corporate clients.

• Clean UX, practical dashboards, excellent cooperative banking relationships.

• Fast onboarding compared to traditional banks.

Weaknesses:

• Scaling pain: demand is huge, resources are finite.

• No treasury/FX platform as advanced as Bracket — yet.

• Corporate onboarding still tight due to AML climate.

Verdict: One of Malta’s strongest, but must evolve into FX + Cash Management if it wants to compete with Interpolitan-level offerings.

3. Escrow: The Missing Puzzle Piece

Here is the brutal truth: Most payment companies in Malta do not offer escrow because it is compliance-heavy and operationally demanding. But escrow is THE service for:

• M&A deals

• Real estate transactions

• High-value settlements

• B2B dispute-free payments

• Asset transfers

If Finductive or Interpolitan launch a robust escrow product, they will dominate the corporate market instantly.

4. Treasury FX & Cash Management: Malta’s Weakest Area (For Now)

This is where Malta loses millions.

Bracket, Wise Business, and Payoneer are providing tools that:

• Hedge exposure

• Reduce currency cost

• Allow automated rule-based FX

• Offer multi-currency wallets

• Enable programmatic treasury flows

Malta’s local PSPs are NOT there yet. 

But the first company that nails treasury management for SMEs and mid-market corporates will win the entire island.

5. Crypto Payments: MiCA Changes the Entire Game

MiCA is not a regulation. It is a reset and it will:

• Kill off shady operators

• Force legit transparency

• Make banks more comfortable

• Open the door for licensed crypto PSPs

• Turn Malta into a digital asset corridor if it plays smart

Gemini coming to Malta is not random. It is strategic.

Where Gemini goes, liquidity follows.
Where liquidity flows, opportunity is born.

6. The Truth Nobody Says (But Everyone Knows)

Malta’s payment market has three realities:

1. Compliance is king: If you don’t respect AML, you don’t survive.

2. Banking is the bottleneck: And that’s why PSPs are flourishing.

3. Speed is now the ultimate currency. Whoever onboard clients fastest — wins.

7. Maltainsider Perspective

I’ll say this clearly:

Malta doesn’t need more PSPs.
Malta needs better alignment between regulation, innovation, and execution.

Too many companies suffer because:

• Accounts take months

• Cross-border flows face unnecessary friction

• Crypto is misunderstood

• Treasury costs eat margins

• No one provides end-to-end guidance

This is exactly why Maltainsider exists: Not to hype companies, but to guide founders into the right partnerships, negotiate better terms, reduce onboarding time, and eliminate the noise.

In a market full of fancy logos,
I focus on the operators.

Because at the end of the day, payments are not about banks or systems.

They are about trust, speed, and people who know what they’re doing.

Malta Insider maintains professional relationships within the Maltese financial ecosystem.
All reviews reflect independent analysis, operational experience, and sector knowledge.

Moneybase (Calamatta Cuschieri)

A local powerhouse with legacy trust. They did something few Maltese institutions managed:
Bring investment DNA into payments.

Strengths:

• Local credibility.

• Well-established compliance environment.

• Great for individuals and SMEs.

Weaknesses:

• Not as agile on complex corporate structures.

• No deep treasury solution.

Verdict: A safe harbour, not a speedboat.

Interpolitan Money - The New Giant Arriving

If there is one company that will reshape Malta’s payment landscape in 2026, it’s this one.
And their COO, Anoop Nair, is not just experienced, he is strategic.

Interpolitan specialises in:

• High-value payments

• Global FX

• Treasury solutions

• Corporate liquidity flows

• Multi-jurisdiction onboarding

Verdict: They are not competition. They are a new gravitational force.

Trumia - The New Challenger

They’re young. They’re hungry.
And they finally have leadership that understands the game: Ryan Cachia, a decade-long industry operator.

Strengths:

• Good tech.

• Modern approach.

• Clean user experience.

Weaknesses:

• Needs time to mature.

• Still proving reliability at scale.

Verdict: Potentially a gem if they survive the next two years of AML tightening.

Finance Incorporated Limited - The Dark Horse of the Market

Some operators hate them.
Some operators swear by them.
But nobody denies they deliver solutions.

Strengths:

• Extremely broad product range.

• Strong relationships.

• Ability to handle large-volume corporate operations.

Weaknesses: Reputation fluctuates depending on who you ask which is normal for large PSPs

Verdict: A critical player. Underestimated by many.

Payhound - Malta’s Crypto Bridge

Crypto is the new frontier.
MICA is the new constitution.
Isle of Man + Malta footprint? A rare combination.

Payhound gives:

• Crypto → Fiat conversion

• Regulated settlement

• Merchant API

• Serious compliance backbone

Verdict: A sleeper hit. If Malta embraces crypto under MiCA, Payhound becomes infrastructure.