Frequently Asked Questions
Who is MeDirect?
Is MeDirect a Maltese Bank?
What is the background of MeDirect?
Who are the directors of MeDirect?
Who are the shareholders of MeDirect?
Accounts
How do I become a client?
What are the requirements to become a customer?
- Be over 18 years of age
- Be a resident of an EEA country, Switzerland or the UK
- Hold a valid identification document (ID card or passport)
Why do I need to disclose whether I, or any of my relatives, hold public office?
Why do I need to disclose whether I am a US citizen, US resident alien or US tax resident?
How do I open an account?
Can I open a joint account online?
Are there any fees to open and maintain an account?
How can I register for Online Banking?
How can I deposit funds in my account?
How can I communicate with the Bank online?
Is it possible to change my security or contact details online?
How do I transfer money online?
Why is the Payment Narrative mandatory?
What is the maximum daily amount that I can transfer to another bank through Online Banking/Mobile App?
Can I exchange currencies online?
How is the currency exchange rate determined?
Can I set up standing orders?
What happens to my standing order if there are insufficient funds on my account?
What happens if there are insufficient funds to carry out a pre-set transfer between or withdrawal from my accounts?
Can I set up future dated payments?
Can I edit or cancel my future-dated payments?
How can I withdraw funds from my Me Accounts?
Once I open a Fixed Term Deposit Account, can I later change the amount, rate or term?
Will my Fixed Term Deposit be automatically rolled over upon its maturity?
Where and when is the interest earned paid out?
- Fixed Term Deposit Account: you can opt for your interest to be paid monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, annually or only once at the maturity of the deposit into your Savings Account or Me Account.
- Me Savings Accounts: interest is paid semi-annually on the last working day of June and December and is compounded into your Me Savings Account unless otherwise instructed.
- Savings Account: when applicable, interest is paid semi-annually on the last working day of June and December and is compounded into your Savings Account.
- Investment Cash Account: when applicable, interest is paid semi-annually on the last working day of June and December and is compounded into your Investment Cash Account.
What happens if interest rates go up or down?
Can I access my account statements online?
How can I close an account?
What happens if I pass away?
Investments
How can MeDirect help me invest?
How do I open an Investment Account?
If you are already a client of MeDirect opening additional accounts is quick and easy. You will just need to Log In to your account via desktop or open our Mobile App, click on 'Open an Account' and follow the steps indicated on screen. All the securities that are available on our online trading platform can be traded through the app. The trading experience via the app is very similar to our online platform, so you can use whichever you prefer. All trades made via the app can be seen online, and vice versa. For an overview of trading on the app see our Mobile App User Guide. If you are not a client of MeDirect you will need to choose Become a Client and follow the steps indicated on screen.
How much does it cost to have an Investment Account?
How can I fund trades made through my Investment Account?
How do I place an order?
- Clicking on ‘Trade’ and selecting ‘Place an order’
- Clicking on 'My Investments', selecting ‘Overview’ and click on the button ‘Invest’
How can I find the security I want to buy?
Can I trade or transfer securities that are not currently offered on the online trading platform?
What is the minimum order size?
How do I know if my order has been executed?
What order types are available?
- You can purchase or sell securities on our Online Trading platform in accordance with the following rules:
- Orders to buy or sell bonds and equities listed on the Malta Stock Exchange are to be placed as limit orders. When submitting a limit order, you will have to provide a limit price. Buy orders will only be executed at a price equal to or lower than the limit price, while sell orders will be executed at a price equal to or higher than the limit price. Such orders will be left pending for up to 14 calendar days after the order was submitted. The part of the order not executed after 14 calendar days will be cancelled.
- Orders to buy or sell international bonds can be placed as limit orders. When submitting a limit order, you will have to provide a limit price. Buy orders will only be executed at a price equal to or lower than the limit price, while sell orders will be executed at a price equal to or higher than the limit price. Orders for international bonds are Day orders and any part not executed will be cancelled at the end of the day.
- Orders to buy or sell international equities and ETFs can be placed as market orders or limit orders.
- If you place a market order, your order will be executed at the best available market price in accordance with our Best Execution Policy, which is included as Annex 2 of the Investment Services Terms and Conditions. All orders with be Good for Day, meaning they will automatically expire if not executed by the end of the day when the order was placed. A “Good for Day” order is an order that is good for that day only, during which time, partial fills can take place. If it is not filled, the order (or any unfilled parts of the order) will be cancelled.
- When submitting a limit order, you will have to provide a limit price. Buy orders will only be executed at a price equal to or lower than the limit price, while sell orders will be executed at a price equal to or higher than the limit price. When placing limit orders, apart from Good For Day orders, you can also choose to place the order Good Till Date, where you can choose a date up to a maximum of 6 months later till when the order remains valid, or Good Till Cancelled, which means that your order will remain active until you cancel it yourself or until it expires automatically after 6 months. The part of the order not executed after the date chosen by yourself or the 6 months if Good Till Cancelled is chosen, will be cancelled.
How are limit orders executed?
How do I place a limit order?
A limit price on sell orders must not be more than 5% below nor more than 30% above estimated price. If you would like to submit a sell order with a limit price outside such boundaries, you will need to place your limit order offline by calling us on +356 2557 4400 during opening hours. A limit price on buy orders must not be 5% above nor more than 30% below estimated price. If you would like to submit a sell order with a limit price outside such boundaries, you will need to place your limit order offline by calling us on +356 2557 4400 during opening hours.
As from 3rd January 2018, in line with the provisions of the second Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II), prices on equities and ETFs for limit orders are to be entered in accordance with the applicable decimal price increments (tick size) for the respective financial instrument.
A tick size is the minimum upward or downward price movement of a security and is determined by the stock exchange where the security is traded. For example, if the tick price of a security is EUR 0.01, when submitting a limit order on that security, the limit price that you enter must be a multiple of EUR 0.01 as the price of the security can only vary by multiples of EUR 0.01. Limit orders placed with an incorrect tick size multiple may be rejected. You can check the tick sizes of equities traded on the Malta Stock Exchange by clicking here.
Can I cancel an order that I have submitted?
- Orders for mutual funds cannot be cancelled.
- Orders for international equities and ETFs can be cancelled from your Online Trading platform by clicking the Cancel button on the Pending trades screen.
- Orders for bonds, local equities and local ETFs can be cancelled by sending a secure mail through your Online Banking.
When do I receive the proceeds from a sale?
How can I track the securities in my portfolio?
Are the prices quoted real time?
What are the opening hours of the trading platform?
- Equities and ETFs - 8.00 am to 6.00 pm for European and UK markets, 2.30 pm to 10.00 pm for US markets (with the ability to place orders from 8 am for execution at market opening).
- Bonds and Mutual Funds - 8.00 am to 6.30 pm (with the ability to place orders until 10.00 pm for execution the next day),
Are there any transaction charges for trading?
Do I have to pay custody fees?
Where will my securities be held?
Does MeDirect offer investment advice?
Which stock markets can I invest in using the Online Trading platform?
- Malta (Malta Stock Exchange) – Euro, Pound Sterling, US Dollar
- Italy (Borsa Italiana)
- Belgium, France, Netherlands and Portugal (Euronext)
- Sweden (Stockholm Stock Exchange)
- Denmark (Copenhagen Stock Exchange)
- Finland (Helsinki Stock Exchange)
- Norway (Oslo Stock Exchange)
- Spain (Madrid Stock Exchange
- Switzerland (Six Swiss Exchange)
- Germany (Xetra)
- United Kingdom (London Stock Exchange)
- United States of America (Nasdaq, NYSE, AMEX, ARCA)
Which bonds can be traded on the Online Trading platform?
- Issuers: governments, corporate, financial institutions, super-national bodies.
- Domicile: Malta, US, Germany, UK, France and many more.
- Maturity: short term (less than two years), medium term (two to five years), long term (over five years).
- Currencies: EUR, USD, GBP and more.
Which mutual funds can be traded on the Online Trading platform?
We have a list of over 900 mutual funds in which you can invest in. They cover a range of investment objectives, markets and asset classes in order to help you diversify your portfolio.
You can also make use of a Sustainability Filter to narrow the selection of mutual funds to only those funds that promote environmental and/or social characteristics and may invest in sustainable investments or to those funds that have sustainable investment as their main objective.
Which ETFs can be traded on the Online Trading platform?
You can trade over 350 ETFs on the MeDirect Online Trading platform, covering a wide range of investment objectives, market indices, and asset classes to help you diversify your portfolio.
What is the price that I will buy/sell a mutual fund for?
What is the ongoing charge for mutual funds and ETFs?
MeManaged
MeManaged is a Discretionary Portfolio Management product. What does this mean?
What makes MeManaged different to other Discretionary Portfolio Management products?
How do I open a MeManaged account?
What are the main advantages of a Discretionary Portfolio Management service?
Is MeDirect the portfolio manager of MeManaged accounts?
How can a portfolio manager invest on my behalf when he or she also has many other clients?
Can I close or make withdrawals from my MeManaged account?
How do I invest additional sums into my MeManaged account?
If you already have a MeManaged account and would like to set up a monthly contribution or invest a lump sum, log on to your account via the mobile app or online banking platform. Once you have accessed your portfolio, the options to set up a monthly contribution or deposit a lump sum will be visible next to the total current value of your portfolio. Click on the option you wish to pursue and follow the instructions provided.
Can I amend or cancel my monthly contribution?
When will my monthly contribution towards the MeManaged account be debited?
Can I make changes to my MeManaged account investment strategy?
Will I receive updates on the performance of the MeManaged account?
Home Loans
How will I know if I am eligible for a MeDirect Home Loan?
How much is the maximum amount I can borrow?
- Your current income
- Your financial commitments
How much would my initial deposit need to be?
|
Maximum Loan Amount of the Total Project Cost |
Initial Contribution of the Total Project Cost |
Acquisition of Primary Residence |
Up to 90%* |
10% |
Acquisition of Second Property |
Up to 75%* |
25% |
What do the terms primary and secondary residence mean?
- A primary residence would be the residence you live in or intend to live in.
- A secondary residence would be the residence you intend to occupy, in addition to the primary residence. Typically this would be your vacation or recreational home.
What is the Borrower-Based Measures Directive and how will it affect me as a borrower?
As a borrower, how will I know which category I fall under?
- whether the property you will be purchasing will be your primary residence – meaning the property you live in or intend to live in.
- whether you, as a borrower, would have any outstanding home loans on the contract signing date of your new property.
What is the maximum term I can avail of?
What is the difference between the Interest Rate & the APR Rate?
Can I effect extra repayments during the duration of the loan?
What insurances will I need to have to be able to take out a home loan?
- Life Insurance
- House / Buildings Insurance
Transfer of assets
Can I transfer my existing portfolio of assets to MeDirect?
Are there any fees for transferring my existing portfolio of investments to my Investment Account with MeDirect?
What are the steps for transferring my portfolio?
Corporate actions
What is a corporate action?
What is the difference between a mandatory and a voluntary corporate action?
What do I need to do If I hold shares in a company which is undergoing a Corporate Action?
How will I receive corporate action information?
Does MeDirect charge for administering corporate actions?
Are there certain corporate actions not offered by MeDirect?
- Dividend reinvestments/dividend options on international markets. Where possible we will offer this option for listed securities on the Maltese Stock Exchange.
- Company meetings and proxy voting for bonds. Where possible we will offer this option for listed securities on the Maltese Stock Exchange.
- Odd lot offers, e.g. mini tenders.
- Non official offers, or offers that are not supervised or regulated by an official entity.
- French loyalty bonus offers.
- Consent offers. Exceptions may apply depending on the terms of the event.
- Unregulated/unprotected corporate actions offered by third parties.
How do I inform MeDirect of my preferred option?
Why is the MeDirect deadline for corporate actions earlier than the company registrar deadline?
Can MeDirect advise me on which election option I should take?
What happens if I miss the deadline for returning my choice of option?
Can I change my mind after sending you my decision?
Will MeDirect always have the same default option as the company’s registrar?
I submitted my decision for a corporate action. Why can I no longer sell my related investment?
I have heard that a company is planning a corporate action. When will MeDirect contact me about it?
What should I do if I have not received information on a corporate action I was expecting to have received by now?
How can I find out why a company has decided to undertake a corporate action?
How do I submit my proxy vote as a shareholder?
How do I receive new shares or rights arising from a corporate action?
How is cash arising from a corporate action paid to me?
How do I obtain a bonus share tax certificate for my Maltese equity investment?
Does MeDirect provide cash dividend/coupon tax certificates?
Model Portfolios
What is a Model Portfolio?
What are the criteria for the selection of funds?
How can I invest in a Model Portfolio?
What is the minimum investment in a Model Portfolio?
How much does it cost to invest in a Model Portfolio?
What type of Model Portfolios can I choose from?
How do I know which Model Portfolio is best for me?
How long do I have to keep the Model Portfolio?
How and when are the dividends on the Income Model Portfolio paid?
Mobile App
What is MeDirect Mobile Banking?
What services are available via the MeDirect Mobile App?
- Open savings and fixed term deposit accounts. You can also view your account balances and transactions.
- Explore investment opportunities.
- Place trade orders on a wide selection of investment securities - with real time pricing on equities. The MeDirect app also gives you the functionality to view and monitor your investment holdings
- Transfer funds between your accounts and to third parties.
- Use the authorisation functionality to log in securely onto the online banking platform, verify payments made via ebanking and to verify your identity when calling our support team.
Who can use MeDirect’s mobile service?
Is there a charge for the MeDirect Mobile App?
Can I use MeDirect’s internet banking without the app?
Is the MeDirect Mobile App compatible with all mobile devices?
Is the MeDirect Mobile App compatible with tablets and wearables?
How do I download the MeDirect Mobile App?
How can I pair my MeDirect Mobile App to my accounts?
- Login to our online banking platform.
- Click on the “Profile” section on the top right-hand side of the screen
- Click on “Devices”
- Select 'Send me a code'. This will trigger an SMS code to your mobile. Input this code and select 'Confirm'.
- Scan the QR Code using the MeDirect Mobile App. Alternatively, you can enter the activation code to pair your account.
What will my passcode upon registration be used for?
How do I change my passcode?
After how many incorrect login attempts will access to the MeDirect Mobile App be locked?
What do I do if I forget my app PIN or if I lock my MeDirect Mobile App?
To reset your passcode, the device will need to be unpaired. To unpair your device, you need to:
1. Login to our online banking platform.
2. Click on the “Profile” icon on the top right-hand side of the screen.
3. Click on “Devices”.
4. Follow steps shown.
What does the ‘Unpair device’ option mean?
What should I do if my mobile is stolen?
- Login to our online banking platform.
- Click on the “Profile” section on the top right-hand side of the screen.
- Click on “Devices”.
- Unpair Mobile Application. Alternatively, you can call us on (+356) 2557 4400.
What should I do if I change or lose my mobile device?
Will my app session time out?
How many devices can I register the app on?
Is the MeDirect Mobile App secure?
Why is the ‘Accept’ button greyed out on the End-User License Agreement and on the Terms & Conditions?
What is the preferred account?
Do the balances displayed in each account represent my Actual Balance or my Available Balance?
Why are no accounts appearing in the MeDirect Mobile App?
I am trying to make a transfer, but I cannot select my account in the “To” or “From” account field?
Why is the “Make a Payment” button greyed out?
How do I view my up-coming Me Account transactions?
What is the Authorisation tab used for?
Morningstar
Who is Morningstar?
What is the Morningstar Star Rating?
What is the Morningstar Analyst Rating?

What is the Synthetic Risk and Reward Indicator (SRRI) rating?
SRRI | Annualised Volatility |
1 | 0 - 0.49% |
2 | 0.5 - 1.99% |
3 | 2 - 4.99% |
4 | 5 - 9.99% |
5 | 10 - 14.99% |
6 | 15 - 24.99% |
7 | 25% + |
What are the selection criteria of funds for the Model Portfolio?
- Performance consistency – if a manager has consistently performed poorly in three out of the last four calendar years, the fund will typically be removed at this stage. Empirical evidence suggests that long term poorly performing funds will continue to perform poorly going forward.
- Manager Tenure – If a manager has been running a fund for less than three years, they will typically be removed from the selection.
- Style – If the fund displays erratic changes in style, it will typically be removed at this stage.
- Currency – If a multi-regional fund search is undertaken, those funds that do not have an offering in the base currency of the intended users will typically be removed from the selection.
- Parent - The culture and structure of an asset management firm can have an impact on its ability to attract and retain talent and the likelihood for it to serve the best interests of fund shareholders.
- People - Evaluating the depth and capabilities of an investment team is critical in attempting to identify funds that have a competitive advantage.
- Process - Morningstar favours managers who employ a disciplined, consistent, and repeatable investment process. Ultimately, Morningstar is looking for traits that give the investment team an edge over its competition.
- Performance - The goal is to identify management teams that in the past have demonstrated skill which we define as the ability to outperform their respective benchmark/peer group on a risk-adjusted basis in a consistent fashion.
- Price - Research indicates that expenses are critical in predicting future fund performance. A fund’s expense ratio should be evaluated within the context of the relevant region and relative to its Morningstar peer group. It should also consider the trend in expenses and assets in the fund.
Safety
Are MeDirect accounts guaranteed by the Depositor Compensation Scheme?
What is the Depositor Compensation Scheme?
Is MeDirect a participant in the Investor Compensation Scheme?
How can I be sure that my investment assets are protected no matter what happens to MeDirect?
Tax matters & legislation
What type of income or capital gain is subject to withholding tax in Malta?
The following are subject to income or capital gain in Malta:
- Interest income earned on Savings Accounts, Me Accounts and Fixed Term Deposits.
- Coupons paid on bonds’ holdings.
- Dividends paid on equities, ETFs and funds’ holdings.
- Capital gains earned from the sale of international securities.
MeDirect will pay your income/trade consideration net of withholding tax due and remit the withholding tax to the Maltese tax authority where applicable. Please note that the information above is for guidance purposes only. We advise you to consult your tax advisor in order to get more specific advice and to assess your overall tax position.
Is the income I earn from savings and investment products subject to foreign withholding tax?
Interest income earned on Investment Cash Accounts, Savings Accounts, Me Accounts and Fixed Term Deposits is not subject to foreign withholding tax. Income from securities issued by foreign companies may be subject to withholding tax in the country where the security was issued. However, a Maltese investor may benefit from a lower foreign withholding tax rate or be entitled to a refund of foreign withholding tax by virtue of the double taxation agreement between Malta and the country where the issuer of the security is located. We advise you to consult your tax advisor in order to get more specific advice and to assess your overall tax position.
What is a W-8BEN form?
The W-8BEN Form is issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the United States of America with the purpose of allowing non-US persons to benefit from a reduced rate of taxation on dividends and coupons paid by US companies. If you wish to invest in US securities, you will have to provide us with a duly signed W-8BEN form. The W-8BEN form is valid for three calendar years after the year in which it was signed and submitted to IRS. A new form must be submitted when the existing one expires or if there is a change in circumstances making any information on the form incorrect.
How do I complete a W-8BEN form?
The W-8BEN form can be completed and submitted digitally by logging in to your Online Banking. Click on 'Profile', choose 'Document Centre' from the dropdown menu and follow the steps indicated on screen.
If you need specific advice and/or assistance in assessing your overall tax position, we advise you to consult your tax advisor.
What withholding tax options can I choose from?
Maltese tax residents can choose either to have 15% Maltese withholding tax, if any is due, automatically deducted from the gross amounts earned. This includes interest earned from deposit accounts and from dividends or interests earned from your investments. Alternatively, you can opt to not to have Maltese withholding tax automatically deducted at source. We suggest you to consult your tax advisor in order to asses which option is better for you.
Does MeDirect offer foreign tax relief or foreign tax refund services?
What are MeDirect PSD 2 APIs?
The APIs (account aggregation, payment initiation and confirmation of available funds) all relate to PSD2. MeDirect Developer Portal allows third parties licensed by a national competent authority to use Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to enable them to co-create the best user experience possible.
GDPR
What is GDPR?
How does GDPR affect my rights?
- The right to be informed – Organisations must be completely transparent with regards to how they use personal data.
- The right of access – Data subjects (identifiable people) have the right to access their personal data and supplementary information. This means that you are aware of and able to verify the lawfulness of the processing of your data.
- The right to erasure (or right to be forgotten) – You are entitled to have your personal data erased or removed without the need for a specific reason as to why you wish to discontinue.
- The right to object – You have the right to object to the processing of your data based on legitimate interests and/or direct marketing and/or processing for scientific, historical research or statistical purposes.
- The right to rectification – You have the right to rectify or complete any personal information that an organisation holds about you.
- The right to data portability – You have the right to obtain and reuse your personal data for your own purposes, across different services. You are also entitled to move, copy or transfer your data from one organisation to another.
- The right to restriction of processing – You have the right to restrict or suppress access to your personal data.
- The right of automated decision-making and profiling – GDPR has introduced controls to protect individuals against the risk that a potentially damaging decision is made without human intervention. For example you can choose not to be the subject of a decision where the consequence has a legal bearing on you or is based on automated processing.
What did MeDirect do about it?
- Updating our Data Protection Policy
- Providing Data Privacy awareness training to all our employees
- Delivering training to employees on how to deal with GDPR requests
- Revising our Privacy Notices, Terms and Conditions and Cookie policy
- Revising our Marketing Consent statements
- Updating our internal policies to ensure that they are in line with GDPR legislation
How does MeDirect protect client information?
How does MeDirect communicate privacy information?
What lawful basis does MeDirect use for processing data?
- Consent – As a Data subject you must provide clear consent to process personal data for a specific purpose. For the purposes of documentation, your declaration of consent must be obtained in writing, electronically or through a recorded oral statement.
- Contract – Processing your data is necessary to fulfil the obligations of a contract.
- Legal obligation – Processing your data is necessary to comply with a legal obligation.
- Vital interests – Processing your data is necessary to protect someone’s life.
- Public task – Processing your data is necessary to perform a task in the public interest or for official functions. In this scenario the task or function must have a clear basis in law.
- Legitimate interests – Processing your data is necessary for the legitimate interests of an individual or the legitimate interests of a third-party, unless there is good reason to protect the individual’s personal data which overrides those legitimate interests.
How can you submit your consent to receive updates from MeDirect?
- Calling our Customer Service Centre on (+356) 2557 4400
- Emailing our Data Protection Officer (DPO) on dataprotection@medirect.com.mt
- Visiting any one of our investment centres
- Updating your profile on our secure online banking platform