Overview
The MFSA is responsible for the supervision of entities authorised under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) Act. The main objective of this MFSA workshop is to raise awareness of the relevant industry stakeholders of the fact that, besides prudential requirements, Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs) are subject to market conduct requirements, emanating from the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA).
The workshop will be hosted by seasoned MFSA professionals with years of experience in supervising licensed entities, enabling the industry stakeholders to interact with the regulators and better understand the MFSA expectations. The participants will have the opportunity to submit questions prior to the event and discuss them during the Q&A session of the workshop, bolstering more effective compliance with the regulatory expectations. Contact details for submitting questions can be found at the bottom of this agenda.
Who Should Attend
- Compliance Function and Key Function Holders of Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs)
- Compliance Function and Key Function Holders of Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) Aspiring for CASP License
- Legal Firms Providing Advice to CASPs
Agenda
| 09:00H | Registration & Welcome Coffee | |
| 09:30H | Introduction
Christopher P. Buttigieg - Chief Officer Supervision, MFSA |
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| 09:40H | Welcome Note
Sarah Pulis - Head of Conduct Supervision, MFSA |
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| 09:50H | MiCA Market Conduct - A New Supervisory Regime
Pauline Tonna - Deputy Head, Conduct Supervision, MFSA |
|
| 11:05H | MiFID II Requirements for CASPs Aspiring to Provide MiFID II Services
Pauline Tonna - Deputy Head, Conduct Supervision, MFSA |
|
| 11:25H | Coffee Break | |
| 11:45H | The New CASP Returns - Conduct Related Data, Website Reviews and Dear CEO Letter
Antonio Battaglino - Assistant Manager, Conduct Supervision, MFSA |
|
| 12:05H | Q&A Session and Closing Remarks
Pauline Tonna - Deputy Head, Conduct Supervision, MFSA |
|
| 12:35H | Networking and Lunch | |
Registrations
The Authority encourages interested participants to register by filling the form below by not later than Wednesday 4 June 2025.
Kindly note that there will be up to two participants per each license holder allowed to register. Registration is on a first come, first served basis.
Kindly submit any questions you may have for the workshop Q&A session to the following email address on [email protected] and no later then Monday 2 June 2025 close of business.
Speakers
Chief Officer Supervision, MFSA
Christopher Buttigieg
Dr Christopher P. Buttigieg was appointed as Chief Officer Supervision in March 2020 following his appointment as Chief Officer Strategy, Policy and Innovation in 2019. During his tenure as Head of Securities and Markets Supervision before 2019, which stretched over four years, Dr Buttigieg was responsible for work in the field of policy, regulation and supervision of securities, markets and FinTech. He joined the Authority in 2000 as Manager in the Investment Services Unit and has gained professional experience in various areas of financial regulation, supervision, the investigation of market misconduct and the enforcement of sanctions. Dr Buttigieg was responsible for implementing various pieces of EU legislation in the field of securities and markets and has led different regulatory and supervisory teams within the Authority. He sits on the Authority’s Supervisory Council and represents the MFSA at various European Fora on financial regulation and supervision. He is the MFSA’s alternate member on the ESMA Board of Supervisors and is the Chair of the ESMA Data Standing Committee. Dr Buttigieg is a lecturer in the Banking and Finance Department of the University of Malta and has published various papers on financial regulation and supervision in academic and professional journals. For a period of two years, up to April 2015, Dr Buttigieg was a director on the board of the Malta Resources Authority, Malta’s energy regulator. In 2015, the President of Malta appointed Dr Buttigieg as a member on the board of the Fund for Voluntary Organisations. Dr Buttigieg is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Academy of European Law (Trier).
Head, Conduct Supervision, MFSA
Sarah Pulis
Sarah Pulis holds the position of Head within the Conduct Supervision function at the MFSA. Sarah has twenty years of experience in the regulation and supervision of financial services, namely investment firms, collective investment schemes, company services providers, insurance undertakings and insurance intermediaries. During her career, she has represented the Authority on various committees with ESMA and EIOPA. Sarah read law at the University of Malta and graduated as a Notary Public and Doctor of Laws in 1996 and 1999 respectively. She also obtained a Master of Laws in European Union Law from the University of Leicester in 2006.
Deputy Head, Conduct Supervision, MFSA
Pauline Tonna
Pauline has been working within the Conduct Supervision Function (Investment Services) within the MFSA since July 2016. Prior to joining the Conduct Supervision Function, she worked for 6 years within the Consumer Complaints Unit which was previously housed within the MFSA. Pauline also worked for a number of years as an investments officer within the local industry. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) in Banking and Finance with the University of Malta and an MSc Finance from the University of London.
Assistant Manager, Conduct Supervision, MFSA
Antonio Battaglino
Antonio is Assistant Manager within MFSA’s Conduct Supervision. After graduating in Management from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, Antonio worked in a consulting firm before joining the Authority. He holds an ICA International Diploma in Governance, Risk and Compliance and the CISI Risk in Financial Services qualification.
Senior Technical Expert, Conduct Supervision, MFSA
Goran Platisa
Goran joined the Conduct Supervision Function of the MFSA in February 2022, supervising the investment firms. Having joined the FinTech Supervision Function for a period of time, he was engaged in supervising financial institutions and crypto-asset service providers as well. Prior to joining the MFSA, Goran spent a number of years with different banking groups, multi-asset brokerages and investment firms. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Banking and Finance from the University of Belgrade and is a licensed broker-dealer by the Securities Commission of the Republic of Serbia.
