Offices
+36 70 421 32 63

Updated: June 2026

Case study · Malta · Tax

How an Investor Legally Transferred 500,000EUR to Malta at 15% Rate via Remittance Basis

Transferring a large sum to a personal account in Europe is not so much a banking challenge as a tax one: imported funds easily fall under the definition of income and are taxed at the full rate. Arthur needed to bring 500,000 EUR into a Maltese bank for a yacht purchase without losing a third of the amount to taxes. We explain how the Remittance Basis regime under GRP allowed the transfer at 15% rate—and why this is legal.

Sergey EvdokimovSergey EvdokimovManaging Partner, BRIDGESReading time9 min readVerificationReviewed by an expert

This case is based on a real matter. The name and certain identifying details have been changed to protect confidentiality.

BRIDGES client story - How an Investor Legally Transferred 500,000 EUR to Malta at 15% Rate via Remittance Basis
Contents

Case at a glance

Situation, solution and outcome in seven lines

Client
Arthur, 46 years old, entrepreneur
Origin
Relocation to Malta
Program
Malta, Global Residence Programme
Objective
To legally transfer 500,000 EUR for a yacht purchase
Risk
Classification of the transfer as income and taxation up to 35%
Solution
Remittance Basis: structuring of the transfer, 15% rate
Result
Funds transferred legally, purchase completed

Client story

Client's Story

Where they started

Arthur is an entrepreneur who had accumulated capital in several jurisdictions by the time of his relocation to Malta. He held part of the funds in overseas accounts as savings, and part consisted of income from previous years. After changing his lifestyle, he decided to purchase a yacht and base it in the Mediterranean—for this purpose, he needed to transfer approximately 500,000 EUR to a personal account in a Maltese bank.

Why the standard route did not work

This is where the complexities began. When a new tax resident transfers a large sum from abroad, the tax authority has the right to ask: is this your capital that has already been earned and is not subject to taxation, or is this income you have just received and should be taxed? The answer determines the rate—up to 35% under standard European rules.

What BRIDGES had to solve

Arthur did not attempt to hide anything. The funds were clean and their origin was transparent. However, without proper structuring of the transfer, even legitimate capital could be interpreted as income, and the yacht purchase would have become hundreds of thousands of EUR more expensive due to merely the method of transfer.

Why a standard answer would not do

He approached BRIDGES to conduct the transfer properly: legally, at the minimum rate, and in such a way that neither the bank nor the tax authority would have any questions, neither now nor during future audits.

These are my funds, earned and set aside over the years. The thought that a third of them could be lost to taxes simply because I was transferring them to another account seemed absurd. BRIDGES explained that what matters is not how much you transfer, but how it is documented—and they handled everything cleanly.

Artur, 46 · Arthur, entrepreneurThe name and certain identifying details have been changed to protect confidentiality.

What Was at Risk

What Was at Risk

The key mistake in a large transfer is treating it as a purely banking operation. For the tax authority, the nature of the funds matters: capital or income. Improperly structured import converts savings into taxable income, and the rate skyrockets.

Classification of the transferred 500,000 EUR as income and taxation at a rate up to 35%;

  1. 01Blocking or freezing of the transfer by the bank pending clarification of the source of funds;
  2. 02Tax authority inquiries about the origin of capital after the funds were credited;
  3. 03Increase in the cost of the yacht purchase by hundreds of thousands of EUR due to the method of transfer alone;
  4. 04Creation of an unfavorable precedent for future transfers to the same account.

The logic of the solution

How the matter progressed: from checks to result

The chart is built from the facts of this matter and shows the logic of the work without decorative or unverified data.

  1. 01
    Stage 1

    We analyzed Arthur's fund structure and separated accumulated capital and income to determine the correct regime for each component.

  2. 02
    Stage 2

    We established GRP status with non-domiciled status, providing access to the Remittance Basis regime.

  3. 03
    Stage 3

    We prepared documentary evidence of fund origins—meeting both bank and tax authority requirements.

  4. 04
    Stage 4

    We structured the transfer so that the portion brought to the island was taxed at 15%, while pure capital passed without tax.

  5. 05
    Stage 5

    We pre-coordinated the transaction with the Maltese bank to ensure the transfer proceeded without compliance holds.

Takeaway. Arthur received not only a result on the specific transaction, but also a working structure for the future: now he understands how to bring funds to the island at the minimum rate and how to document their origin.

How we solved the task

How we solved the task

The work was split into verifiable stages so that every conclusion rested on documents.

  1. 01

    Stage 1

    We analyzed Arthur's fund structure and separated accumulated capital and income to determine the correct regime for each component.

  2. 02

    Stage 2

    We established GRP status with non-domiciled status, providing access to the Remittance Basis regime.

  3. 03

    Stage 3

    We prepared documentary evidence of fund origins—meeting both bank and tax authority requirements.

  4. 04

    Stage 4

    We structured the transfer so that the portion brought to the island was taxed at 15%, while pure capital passed without tax.

  5. 05

    Stage 5

    We pre-coordinated the transaction with the Maltese bank to ensure the transfer proceeded without compliance holds.

  6. 06

    Stage 6

    We documented the import logic for the future so that subsequent transfers to the same account would follow clear rules.

Expert comment

People often think the main thing is to transfer money and deal with taxes later. In reality, it is the opposite: the method of transfer determines the tax. The Maltese Remittance Basis is one of the few lawful regimes in Europe where you can bring in a large sum at a reasonable rate, and pure capital—entirely without tax. But it requires discipline: segregate capital and income, prepare documents in advance. In Arthur's case, we saved him hundreds of thousands of euros without violating any rules.

Sergey Evdokimov, Managing Partner, BRIDGESSergey EvdokimovManaging Partner, BRIDGES

Outcome

What the client received

Metric
Standard approach · Via Remittance Basis
Rate on income import
up to 35% · 15%
Tax on pure capital
Risk of assessment · 0%
Bank transfer
Risk of freeze · Completed as planned
Yacht purchase
Cost increase · Completed on schedule
Yacht purchase
Cost increase · Completed on schedule

The transfer proceeded smoothly: the portion brought to the island was taxed at 15%, and accumulated capital passed without tax. The yacht purchase went through without unwelcome cost increases, and neither the bank nor tax authorities raised questions—the nature of each amount was confirmed by documents.

Practical takeaway

What matters in a similar situation

  • Arthur received not only a result on the specific transaction, but also a working structure for the future: now he understands how to bring funds to the island at the minimum rate and how to document their origin.
  • The key takeaway of this case is that in international finance, structure matters as much as substance. The same transfer can be executed at 35% tax or 15%, and sometimes at zero: the difference lies in how it is structured and confirmed.

FAQ

Questions people ask in a similar situation

01What is Remittance Basis in Malta?

This is a regime for GRP holders with non-domiciled status: foreign income is taxed only on the portion brought to the island, at the preferential rate of 15%. Pure capital that is not income is not taxed.

02Can any amount be imported at 15%?

The 15% rate applies to foreign income brought to the island. Accumulated capital is not taxed at all. Correct classification and documentary confirmation of the nature of the funds is essential.

03Is this lawful?

Yes, Remittance Basis is directly provided for under Malta's tax legislation. This concerns the correct application of the regime, not concealment of funds.

04Is it necessary to confirm the source of funds?

Yes. We prepare documentary evidence of the origin of funds in advance—in accordance with both bank and tax authority requirements—so that the transfer proceeds without questions.

05Can funds be brought in regularly in this manner?

Yes, provided the regime rules are observed. We structure the logic of fund transfers so that subsequent remittances proceed predictably and at the minimum tax rate.

06Can a substantial sum be legally brought into Europe without losing a third to taxes?

We will analyze the nature of your funds, establish GRP status with Remittance Basis regime, and conduct the fund transfer at a 15% rate, with net capital taxed at zero.

About the author

Sergey Evdokimov

Author: Sergey Evdokimov

Managing Partner, BRIDGES

As Founder and Managing Partner of BRIDGES, I am responsible for the firm's strategy and personally lead its most complex client matters, including cases in which citizenship or residence decisions require a strategic view and consideration of capital.

I begin by defining the objective: the outcome the client needs, the facts that affect the choice, and the matters that require further review. I then establish the available directions, the sequence of work, and the key decision points.

Once the strategy has been agreed, I oversee the BRIDGES team's key decisions and remain involved at the stages that shape the course of the matter. The purpose is to give the client a clear rationale for the chosen direction and a precise understanding of the next steps.

Prepared on the basis of BRIDGES practice and reviewed by a subject-matter expert.

Discuss your situation with Sergey

We will review your situation and propose a solution

Describe your task in a few words. We will study your situation, assess the legal and practical options and propose the next step based on your goals, documents and country.

Confidential · no obligations · answered by the relevant specialist

Or message us on WhatsApp or Telegram

Dmitry NagyInternational Tax Consultant, BRIDGES
Dmitry Nagy, International Tax Consultant, BRIDGES

Names and certain details have been changed to protect client confidentiality. The result described reflects one specific situation and is neither a public offer nor a guarantee of a similar outcome. Programme terms are stated as of 2026 and may change - please confirm current parameters with a BRIDGES consultant.