Author/Editor:

International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department

Publication Date:

February 27, 2019

Electronic Access:

Free Full Text. Use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this PDF file

Summary:

The financial sector in Malta is large compared to the economy and is strongly connected with the rest of the world. While Malta has benefited from considerable financial inflows, the associated risks, especially related to money laundering and terrorism financing (ML/TF), need to be closely monitored and addressed. Key metrics suggest that the banking system is in good health, but challenges exist. Banks are well capitalized, liquidity is ample, and profitability is healthy. However, core domestic banks’ high exposure to property-related loans, together with the rapid house price appreciation, poses a risk. The significant share of nonresident deposits in international and noncore domestic banks makes them vulnerable, but their exposure to the domestic economy is limited. While nonperforming loans (NPL) remain below the euro area (EA) average, there are pockets of distressed corporate loans that continue to impact banks’ balance sheets.