Regulatory Advisory

Licence applications and ongoing regulatory support across aviation, financial services, gaming, maritime, and more.

Zeta's regulatory advisory team guides businesses through the full licence application process and provides ongoing compliance support across a wide range of regulated sectors. From aviation and maritime to financial services, gaming, and digital assets, we help clients obtain and maintain the authorisations they need to operate with confidence.

Our Regulatory Advisory Services

Aviation

Aircraft registration and Air Operator Certificate (AOC) applications. We support operators through the regulatory process to ensure compliance with national and international aviation standards.

Banking Licence

End-to-end advisory on banking licence applications, including preparation of business plans, governance frameworks, and regulatory submissions to the competent authorities.

Blockchain & Crypto

Licence applications under the EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) and Malta's Virtual Financial Assets (VFA) framework. We assist with regulatory classification, whitepapers, and ongoing compliance.

European Crowdfunding Licence (ECSP)

Advisory on obtaining authorisation as a European Crowdfunding Service Provider under the ECSP Regulation, covering platform structuring, investor protection measures, and regulatory filings.

DeFi (Decentralized Finance)

Regulatory guidance for decentralised finance protocols and platforms, addressing compliance challenges unique to DeFi including governance token classification and smart contract risk.

Electronic Money Institutions

Licence applications for electronic money issuance and associated payment services. We guide clients through capital requirements, safeguarding obligations, and supervisory submissions.

FinTech

Regulatory advisory for financial technology companies navigating complex licensing landscapes, including sandbox applications, regulatory mapping, and cross-border passporting strategies.

Funds & IPOs

Support for fund structuring, prospectus preparation, and listing applications. We advise on UCITS, alternative investment funds, and pre-IPO capital reorganisation processes.

Gaming

Licence applications under Malta's gaming regulatory framework, one of the most established in Europe. We assist with B2C and B2B applications, compliance programmes, and ongoing reporting.

Intellectual Property & Trademarks

Protection and registration of trademarks, patents, and other intellectual property rights. We handle filings, licensing agreements, and enforcement strategies across jurisdictions.

Maritime: Yacht Registration

Registration of yachts and commercial vessels under the Malta flag, one of the largest ship registries globally. We manage the full registration process and ensure compliance with maritime regulations.

Payment Service Providers

Licence applications for payment institutions covering payment accounts, card payments, money remittance, and related services. We support clients from initial application through to authorisation and beyond.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our regulatory advisory service supports clients in obtaining and maintaining authorisations under Maltese and EU regulatory frameworks. We cover sectors including iGaming, MiCA (crypto-assets), banking, electronic money institutions (EMIs), payment service providers (PSPs), funds, crowdfunding (ECSP), aviation, and maritime.
The competent authority depends on the sector. The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) regulates most financial services activities, including banking, EMIs, PSPs, investment services, funds, and MiCA. The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) regulates gaming. Transport Malta oversees aviation and maritime registrations. Zeta coordinates the application and ongoing interactions with the relevant regulator.
We assist with strategy and gap analysis, preparation of the application pack (including business plan, programme of operations, AML/CFT policies, risk management and governance arrangements), responses to regulator queries, and post-authorisation readiness including policies, procedures and reporting frameworks.
Yes. Following authorisation, we support clients with ongoing obligations including regulatory reporting, renewal filings, regulator interactions, AML/CFT compliance, periodic reviews, and applications for changes to the authorisation as the business evolves.
MiCA (the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation) is the EU's harmonised framework for crypto-asset service providers and issuers of certain crypto-assets. Zeta assists clients with MiCA scope analysis, MFSA authorisation applications, and ongoing compliance with MiCA's prudential, conduct and disclosure requirements.
Yes. International clients frequently use Malta as their EU licensing hub. Once authorised in Malta, regulated firms can, in many cases, passport their services across the EEA. Zeta advises on whether Malta is the right licensing jurisdiction for a given business model and handles the application end-to-end.

Discuss Your Advisory Needs

Contact us to explore how our advisory and structuring expertise can support your objectives.