Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg has described the current period as "a time when the global economy and international collaboration are being tested."

"However," he continued, "together, we can strengthen economic resilience, through deliberate reforms, innovation, and collective actions.”

His comments were made at the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) has hosted a high-level international conference that placed global financial resilience, regulatory innovation, and cross-border collaboration at the centre of discussions.

Held ahead of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) Growth & Emerging Markets and European Regional Committee meetings taking place in Malta from 19th–21st November, the event brought together leading figures from global financial institutions, international organisations, and academia. Speakers examined how forward-looking policy, capital market development, and technology-enhanced supervision can address growing risks in an increasingly complex economic landscape.

IOSCO, the global standard-setter for securities regulation, works to ensure fair, efficient, and transparent financial markets while promoting investor protection and coordinated market oversight across jurisdictions.

Opening the conference, Dr Borg praised the MFSA for its long-standing engagement with IOSCO and other international bodies, stressing Malta’s continued commitment to regulatory cooperation and its determination to ensure that small, open economies remain represented in global policy development.

In a recorded address, Minister for Finance Clyde Caruana outlined Malta’s economic performance, highlighting stable growth despite challenging global conditions. He emphasised that close cooperation between the MFSA and international regulators is essential for maintaining consistency and credibility within Malta’s financial framework.

MFSA Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Farrugia underlined the need for alignment between technological innovation and regulatory oversight.

“The message that has resonated most clearly is this: innovation and regulation must move forward together. At the MFSA, our goal is clear: to strengthen Malta’s position as a trusted, innovative, and well-regulated financial centre,” he said. “Let us move forward with optimism, with responsibility, and with a common purpose to ensure that innovation, guided by sound regulation, delivers lasting value for Malta and for Europe.”

Across a series of panel discussions, experts examined how geopolitical tension, economic uncertainty and the risk of financial fragmentation underline the need for stronger cooperation among policymakers and regulators worldwide.

Topics included:

• capital market integration and competitiveness;
• the responsible and forward-looking regulation of crypto-assets;
• the growing impact of artificial intelligence and future technologies such as quantum computing on supervisory work;
• the evolution and modernisation of cross-border payment systems.