A leaked Government consultation document on the upcoming Y-plate reform suggests that only Bolt is likely to be charged the maximum booking platform authorisation fee. The new structure will replace the current flat €200 yearly fee with a tiered system based on the number of trips completed annually.

According to multiple industry sources, Bolt controls around 70 to 80 per cent of Malta’s ride-hailing market.

Taking the midpoint of 75 per cent and applying it to the Government’s own estimate of 20 million ride-hailing trips per year, Bolt is believed to handle roughly 15 million of them.

This volume would place the company right at the threshold between the top two categories.

If it falls in the 9-15 million trip bracket, Bolt would be subject to a fee of €280,000, orders of magnitude higher than the €200 it currently pays for its annual licence.

Should Bolt surpass 15 million trips per year, it would move into the top category and be required to pay the maximum €320,000.

The remaining 25 per cent of trips are shared between eCabs and Uber, though exact figures remain undisclosed.

Industry observers estimate that eCabs holds around 15 per cent of the market, with Uber accounting for the remaining 10 per cent, citing the former's far longer and more established presence in Malta.

If accurate, eCabs would complete around three million annual trips, placing it in the 2-5 million bracket with an annual fee of €130,000.

Uber, with two million trips, would fall into the 1.5-2 million category, where the fee is set at €90,000.

The overhaul of fees is designed to tie operator contributions more closely to their scale of operations, replacing a flat-rate system.

While Bolt is expected to shoulder the brunt of the increase, eCabs and Uber will also see sharp jumps in yearly costs, raising questions about whether these expenses could ultimately be passed on to drivers or passengers.