Malta ranks towards the top in index measuring crypto regulation across 36 countries

Malta ranked towards the top in the Henley Crypto Adoption Index 2026, out of the 36 countries which offer residence and citizenship pathways.

The countries are benchmarked over how they embrace and regulate crypto and blockchain.

Malta came in 6th in the rankings.

Run by Henley & Partners, the Index draws on more than 900 data points, and provides a comparative view of the regulatory, tax, infrastructure, innovation, and adoption environments. Henley & Partners is an international residence and citizenship planning firm.

Henley describes Malta as having been “an early mover in crypto regulation, with a dedicated virtual-financial-assets framework in place since 2018 and an experienced supervisory regime now operating under MiCA. Its wider blockchain ecosystem includes the Malta Digital Innovation Authority, technology-assurance frameworks, and participation in European blockchain sandboxes, supporting its high ranking on the Henley Crypto Adoption Index.”

Six parameters are scored out of ten, with countries then ranked according to their overall score out of 60. Singapore came in first with a total score of 47.1. Malta came in 6th, with a score of 42.9.

Malta scored an 8.5 in the regulatory environment parameter (which evaluates a country’s legal framework for cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology), the highest score in this category. It scored an 8.4 in economic factors (which considers the stability and economic conditions of a country by evaluating the level of financial inclusion and smartphone and internet penetration), and an 8.1 in tax-friendliness (which evaluates the tax burden and tax-policy clarity applicable to private cryptocurrency investment).

But it had lower scores in the other three categories. It scored a 6.2 in innovation and technology (which gauges a country’s commitment to fostering advancement in the crypto and digital asset space), a 4.9 in infrastructure adoption (which assesses the technological foundations for cryptocurrency transactions and exchanges) and a 6.8 in public adoption (which measures the level of awareness, interest, and engagement with cryptocurrencies in the general population).