Funds / Collective Investment Schemes

Hedge Funds and collective investment schemes in Malta are regulated and licensable under the Malta Investment Services Act. CSB Group offers a vast experience when it comes to the provision of advisory services to fund managers and promoters in selecting the right legal form and structure for their Investment Fund. 

Malta Hedge Fund Structures

Malta Fund structures provide fund managers and promoters with a high level of product flexibility. Funds may be licensed as either Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) with the ability to passport the fund throughout the EU under the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD), the Professional Investor Fund PIF, which is the fund of choice for smaller funds (De Minimis Managers), and UCITS (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities). Furthermore, Malta’s framework allows for the Notified AIF or NAIF, which has been designed to reduce the time-to-market and can be registered within ten (10) days.

Professional Investor Fund (PIF)

One of the Hedge Funds licensable in Malta is the PIF. A PIF, is an efficient and flexible vehicle which allows investors to conduct highly innovative or unorthodox investment strategies. Professional Investor Funds are only open to Qualified Investors who can invest a minimum of €100,000 which must be maintained at all times. PIFs may be set up as single or umbrella funds comprising a number of sub-funds. The applicable investment threshold is determined on a ‘per scheme’ basis rather than a ‘per fund’ basis.

Crypto PIF

A PIF investing in cryptocurrencies may be established either as investment companies, limited partnerships or unit trusts. Malta Cryptocurrency Funds may invest either directly or indirectly through a trading company/Special Purpose Vehicle in cryptocurrencies. The maximum size of a PIF established as a crypto fund is of €100m or equivalent in another currency. A PIF may either be managed by a third-party manager or be self-managed. In the event of being self-managed the Portfolio Manager must have sufficient knowledge and expertise in the field of information technology, virtual currencies, DLT and other related underlying technologies.

Alternative Investor Fund (AIF)

A pan-European hedge fund structure, the AIF is tailored for the more sophisticated and professional investors. Requirements of AIFs are more onerous than PIFs but less stringent than the requirements laid out by the UCITS. AIFs benefit from EU passporting, thus can be offered to investors in any EU member state.

Notified Alterative Investment Fund (NAIFs)

A solution to reduce the time to market, a NAIF is a Maltese product aimed at providing fast-track access to market funds throughout the EU. The AIF Manager (AIFM) assumes full responsibility for the NAIF, by undertaking due diligence on the promoters and service providers. A NAIF operates through a notification by the AIFM to the competent authority.  After notification, the fund can be marketed within just 10 days if the competent authority being notified is satisfied that the documentation submitted respects the relevant laws, rules and regulations.

Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Security (UCITS)

UCITS Funds are liquid and transparent retail products which can be marketed and distributed freely across the EU. Malta offers a robust regulatory framework which benefit from the possibility of setting up through various legal structures.

Benefit of Malta Investment Funds

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