The Institutional Financial Securities Market (IFSM) was launched today as the Malta Stock Exchange’s institutional market to build on the work concluded in the securitisation arena under the Maltese presidency earlier this year.

“The IFSM is certainly not a retail-oriented market, but one that if well marketed and supported by the local stakeholders, will lead to the internationalisation of the Malta Stock Exchange and the attraction to Malta of even more world recognised and established brands that operate in the financial services sector,” Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said.

“I believe that there is potential for our small economy to punch above its weight and become a hub for SMEs in Europe – a jurisdiction that uses its expertise, professional network, and of course, its Exchange to bridge the financing gap and offer SMEs a much-needed infrastructure to address their capital requirements.”

He added that the Exchange’s Prospects platform showed that there were alternatives available to SMEs seeking to tap the market in a low cost, lighter regulatory environment.

Besides the admission to listing on the regulated main market of one equity valued at over €100 million, eight corporate bonds, raising a total of €236 million and over €240 worth of government bonds, Prospects attracted five issuers to this new market – one of them Italian.