Malta vs Labuan: which jurisdiction wins?

Malta vs Labuan — both credible, very different trade-offs. Below: side-by-side on the variables that actually move the decision.

	Malta	Labuan
Tax headline	35% headline, ~5% effective via refund system	3% on audited net profits
Formation days	7	14
First-year cost	$4,500	$5,000
Treaties	70+	70+
Substance	EU substance requirements + DAC6	Substance Regulations 2018
Banking	Bank of Valletta, APS, plus EU EMIs	Labuan banks plus Malaysia intros

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