We've all seen the movies and read the sci-fi books about machines and robots taking over the world. But how close are we to that becoming a reality? Smart contracts are becoming more and more commonplace in our society. Will they replace lawyers, accountants, and other officials completely or is this still just a fantasy?
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Co-founder of Apple, Steve Wozniak, has had an eye on Malta for decades and chose the Island as a jurisdiction to launch a new blockchain based energy savings firm. The company is called EFFORCE and sets out to assist people to save money on energy through the use of blockchain technology, in addition to preserving the environment.Wozniak stated that the blockchain technology can reduce energy consumption without changing consumer habits. The technology is also more secure compared to the use of standard servers.
When you think of Malta, what comes to mind? Is it the mysterious history of the Knights Templar, the bright blue of the Mediterranean sea, or the picturesque island landscape with its beaches and garigue land? It's a reasonable guess that you're not thinking of the world of finance. Yet Malta is a rising star in the high-tech finance firmament. Malta has become a major nexus for the new technologies shaking up the financial world: cryptocurrencies and the blockchain technology on which they're based.
Malta asset-backed tokens are among the best uses of blockchain technology to real-world assets, increasing liquidity and price consciousness for illiquid assets, with the possibility of freeing up trillions.
At the beginning of November 2018, a guideline on how to treat stamp duty, income tax and VAT on transactions that involve Digital Ledger Technology assets was issued by the Malta Commissioner for Revenue as part of the VFA tax Act. In the guidelines, the DLT assets were classified into coins and tokens, with the tokens further being classified into financial tokens and utility tokens. The guidelines came in three sets, with each set covering either the income tax, stamp duty or the VAT.
The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has launched the Sandbox Framework for acceptance of Virtual Financial Assets (VFA) and the use of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) within the Gaming Industry.
Until relatively recently, the tiny island nation of Malta was perhaps best known as a favourite holiday destination for many a European tourist. In fact, this Mediterranean hotspot is still said to host three times as many tourists as actual Maltese residents at any one time. However, while the hotels and beaches are still bursting at the seams with sun-seekers, Malta’s economy has been steadily diversifying and expanding in interesting new directions. One such direction has been a movement into the digital realm, with Malta becoming a pioneering player in this respect. As attention on cryptocurrencies increases so has the discussion surrounding regulation. As such, cryptocurrency regulations in Malta are a hot topic.
