Two Maltese students, Thea Muscat and Owen Bartolo, represented Malta in the 2025 European Money Quiz finals held in Brussels.

The European Money Quiz supports a wider European effort to improve financial literacy.

The event, organised by the European Banking Federation (EBF), is the largest financial literacy competition in Europe for 13 to 15-year-olds.

Ms Muscat is a student at St Nicholas College in Dingli while Mr Bartolo is a student at Maria Regina College in Mosta.

They both qualified for the European finals after winning this year’s National Money Quiz, organised by the Malta Bankers’ Association in collaboration with the Department of Accounting and Business Studies within the Directorate for STEM and VET Programmes of the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation.

The competition challenged the students to further enhance their understanding of essential financial concepts.

Competing along 73,000 students from 30 countries around Europe, the students tackled questions regarding saving strategies, budgeting, long-term financial planning, cryptocurrencies, cybersecurity, and responsible credit use.

Apart from the quiz, Ms Muscat and Mr Bartolo also engaged in an immersive educational experience curated by the EBF, including visits to key financial and political institutions, like the Wikifin Lab at Belgium’s financial regulator, the Euronext stock exchange European Parliament’s visitor centre.

The event also provided a unique opportunity for the students to connect with other students from across Europe, encouraging cultural exchange, collaboration, and the development of lasting friendships.

Karol Gabarretta, Secretary General of the Malta Bankers’ Association, stated: “We are proud of the Maltese students who represented our country with enthusiasm and confidence at the European Money Quiz finals. Their passion is a reflection of the value we place on financial education as a life skill.”

“By supporting initiatives like the National Money Quiz and European Money Week, the MBA remains committed to empowering our younger generations with the tools they need to make informed financial decisions,” he concluded.