Malta vs United Arab Emirates: which jurisdiction wins?

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

	Malta	United Arab Emirates
Tax headline	35% headline, ~5% effective via refund system	9% corporate tax above AED 375k (free zones 0% on qualifying)
Formation days	7	10
First-year cost	$4,500	$6,500
Treaties	70+	140+
Substance	EU substance requirements + DAC6	Free zone QFZP requires adequate substance
Banking	Bank of Valletta, APS, plus EU EMIs	Emirates NBD, ADCB, Mashreq, plus Wio and crypto-friendly EMIs

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