In collaboration with the Malta Blockchain Association and sponsored by Gonzi & Associates, Advocates, FinanceMalta will be holding its BlockFinance breakfast event on 26 November, at Corinthia Palace Hotel in Attard, starting at 8.00 am, according to a press statement sent to Business Malta. The event will focus on security token offerings (STOs).
“This year FinanceMalta already organized two BlockFinance events in Malta, with the first one discussing the application of distributed ledger technology (DLT), and another one on the AML [anti-money laundering] challenges relating to such innovative technologies. This time around we are putting the spotlight on STOs and the various aspects of this investment tool,” said Ivan Grech, Chief Operations Officer at FinanceMalta.
An STO is very similar to an initial coin offering (ICO): they are essentially tools used by blockchain and DLT startups for attracting funding for their ventures. In the case of ICOs, cryptocurrencies are offered, while in the case STOs, tokens are provided in exchange for investment.
Tokens differ from coins in that they fall under the status of securities. They are linked to an underlying investment asset in a way like stocks, bonds, real estate investment trusts (REIT) or other funds.
The BlockFinance event will cover various topics such as understanding STOs and the future of investing via new tokenised business models, the compliance element of STOs, as well as the opportunities, challenges and solutions in adopting STOs.
A key topic of the event will be the Malta Financial Services Authority’s (MFSA) consultation and feedback on STOs and the way forward as a result of this. One key presentation will focus on the advantages that blockchain technology applied to Corporate Governance could bring to companies in Malta, in particular with respect to the automation of tasks, documents and validations of legally binding actions.
FinanceMalta is a non-profit public-private initiative aiming to promote Malta as an international business and financial centre internationally. “It brings together and harnesses the resources of the industry and government, to ensure Malta maintains a modern and effective legal, regulatory and fiscal framework in which the financial services sector can continue to grow and prosper,” the press statement by FinanceMalta says.