HSBC Malta is poised to change hands in 2026 after its parent agreed to sell a 70.03% holding to Greece’s CrediaBank for €200 million. The changeover will mark the end of the HSBC brand in Malta and the start of a fresh chapter under new ownership.
The deal, announced in September 2025, brings to a close a strategic review launched by HSBC the previous year as the global group re-shaped its footprint away from smaller Western markets and towards Asia.
HSBC Continental Europe identified CrediaBank as preferred bidder after months of competitive interest in the Maltese lender, which traces its roots back to Barclays and the nationalised Mid-Med brand of the 1970s.
A number of bidders emerged over the spring and summer of 2025. APS Bank was at the top of the list before it pulled out of the race. Reports also named German payments-technology group RS2 (which pledged to revive the Mid-Med brand), Hungary’s OTP Bank, and a Maltese consortium of leading businesspeople. By mid-August, HSBC had singled out CrediaBank (formerly Attica Bank) as its preferred bidder, entering exclusive talks that culminated in the announced €200 million arrangement.
CrediaBank’s bid came from a bank that has been expanding aggressively under the backing of Thrivest Holdings and state-linked shareholders, a feature that observers say likely strengthened its regulatory credentials for a cross-border takeover.
CrediaBank has described the acquisition as a platform to raise its European profile and double its size, while HSBC framed the move as a natural outcome of its global strategy. Final completion will remain subject to customary regulatory approvals and is likely to be concluded at the end of 2026 or early 2027.
Interviews and reporting indicate the process accelerated quickly once HSBC made a strategic decision to exit. Credia’s majority shareholder later told Greek media the bank submitted a firm offer in August and pressed for a rapid decision, giving HSBC a short window to accept. That pace helped close out competing interest and lock in a buyer willing to commit cash and regulatory capital.
HSBC has said the sale will be executed with continuity in mind, while Credia has stressed it intends to maintain local operations and support clients during the handover. But a change in majority ownership inevitably raises questions for retail and corporate customers, staff and shareholders about branding, product lines and future strategy.
For many Maltese the change is also symbolic—it marks the formal end of the international HSBC brand in local banking after more than two decades and the gradual re-emergence of new foreign players on the island.