With a population of just 440,000, the 122 square mile island of Malta doesn’t appear to have much to offer at first glance.

However, an increasing number of high net worths (HNWs) are considering it as a new place of residence, the audience at a Finance Malta event held in London was told.

A member of the European Union since 2004, the island boasts 48 financial institutions, 25 banks and a staggering 663 investment funds, with an estimated net asset value of EUR 9.7 billion (June 2017). The finance sector contributes 11 percent of the country’s GDP, demonstrating its importance to the jurisdiction.

Argua...