The Price of Residency: What the Maldives Must Fix Before Welcoming Wealth
This week, the Maldives officially entered the global investment migration market. In partnership with Henley & Partners, the country is launching its first-ever residence by investment programme, offering foreign high-net-worth individuals the right to long-term residence in exchange for real estate investment. The move is being framed as a strategic effort to diversify the economy and tap...
MMPRC Acknowledges Financial Losses, Outlines Reforms and Marketing Push
The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) has responded to heightened scrutiny over its financial performance, after audit and parliamentary reports revealed cumulative losses of more than MVR 200 million across four years. In a statement issued today, the agency defended its current direction while attributing some of the financial strain to legacy issues and past...
Maldives Sees Modest Inflation Rise in May, Driven by Electricity and Food Prices
Inflation in the Maldives edged up in May 2025, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising by 0.48 percent compared to April. For many households, this number may seem abstract, but what it represents is something tangible: a quiet but steady rise in the cost of living, led by soaring electricity bills and price fluctuations in everyday...
Business Owners Must Apply for Tobacco Licence by 17 July, Says HPA
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has reminded business owners that 17 July is the deadline to apply for a licence to conduct tobacco-related sales in the Maldives. After this date, such transactions will be illegal without a valid licence.
Following an amendment to the Tobacco Control Act last year, businesses must obtain a licence...
MMA Report: Resort Tourism Dips Even as Tourist Arrivals Surge in May
Tourist arrivals to the Maldives rose by 13 percent in May 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to the Maldives Monetary Authority’s latest Economic Update. With over 135,000 tourists entering the country during the month, the growth was driven largely by strong demand from China and Europe. Yet beneath the headline figures, a deeper...
Villa College Students Excel in Chinese Proficiency Exams
Villa College is celebrating a proud moment as students from its Chinese Language Centre achieved outstanding results in the globally recognised Chinese proficiency exams held in May 2025. The results highlight not only the Centre’s commitment to high standards but also a growing interest in Mandarin among Maldivian learners.
Young students sitting the YCT...
Dhiraagu Launches Lucky Draw for Dream Getaways to Switzerland, Malaysia, and Disneyland Shanghai
Dhiraagu has rolled out a new promotion that offers customers the chance to win an all-expenses-paid holiday to three sought-after international destinations. The prize draw includes a scenic holiday for two to Switzerland, a family trip to Disneyland Shanghai for two adults and two children, and a getaway for two to Malaysia.
Running until...
M.H.A. Private Limited Launches MVR 30 Million Parallel Istisna’ Sukuk to Finance Hulhumale’ Promenade Project
M.H.A Private Limited, one of the leading FMCG distributors in the Maldives, has officially launched its MVR 30 million Parallel Istisna’ sukuk to finance M.H.A promenade project in Hulhumale’.
Structured as a five-year amortised Shariah-compliant sukuk, the issuance is listed on the Viyana board of the Maldives Stock Exchange. The sukuk offers an attractive...
Dhiraagu Backs BVISM to Boost Inclusion in Shaviyani Atoll
Dhiraagu has extended its support to the Blind and Visually Impaired Society of Maldives (BVISM) as part of its corporate social responsibility efforts aimed at empowering vulnerable communities. The partnership will help BVISM carry out a series of community engagement sessions across Shaviyani Atoll.
The non-governmental organisation, which advocates for the rights and well-being...
June Breaks the Off-Season Mould as Tourist Arrivals Climb
Tourist arrivals to the Maldives rose by 15 percent in June 2025 compared to the same month last year, with 141,772 visitors recorded over the 30-day period. The steady climb in numbers bucks the usual trend of a quieter off-season and signals continued strength in the country’s flagship sector.
With daily arrivals averaging around...
At FfD4, Maldives Pushes for Equity in Global Finance and Resilience Building
Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef has called for urgent reforms to the international financial system, highlighting the structural barriers faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like the Maldives. Delivering the Maldives’ plenary statement at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain, the Vice President stressed the importance of equitable access to...
MMA Opens Applications for 2025 Tamweel Islamic Finance Scholarships
The Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) has opened applications for its 2025 Tamweel Islamic Finance Scholarship, offering a range of fully and partially funded opportunities for Maldivians seeking to pursue studies in Islamic finance.
Introduced as part of MMA’s broader Islamic Finance Initiative, the scholarship aims to strengthen the domestic capacity of the sector through...
Maldives Declares ‘Project Solar City’ as First Special Economic Zone
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has declared “Project Solar City” as the Maldives’ first Special Economic Zone (SEZ), following the issuance of Presidential Decree No. 1/2025 earlier this year. The move introduces a new legal and investment framework under the Special Economic Zones Act (Act No. 24/2014).
An Investment Agreement has been signed between the...
TGST Hike Comes into Effect: Tourism Sector Now Subject to 17% Rate
The Tourism Goods and Services Tax (TGST) in the Maldives has officially increased from 16 percent to 17 percent as of today, 1 July 2025. The change, part of the Seventh Amendment to the Goods and Services Tax Act, was ratified in November 2024 and applies to all tourism sector businesses including resorts, hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, liveaboards...
Diversifying Dollar Access: MIB’s Untapped Potential to Serve Maldivians
For years, the Bank of Maldives (BML) has carried the burden of being the country’s primary source of US dollar services for citizens. In a nation heavily reliant on imports and outbound transactions, the demand for dollars touches every corner of daily life. Students paying overseas tuition fees, families seeking medical treatment abroad, and migrant workers sending...
Maldives Signs Investment Residency Deal: What It Means for the Economy
The Government of Maldives has signed an agreement with global investment migration firm Henley & Partners to establish the country’s first-ever residence by investment programme. The deal was signed on the sidelines of the Maldives–Singapore Business Forum 2025, held at Sentosa Island, Singapore.
The new programme is part of the government’s efforts to draw...
Solar City, Residence by Investment Programme Among Key Deals at Business Forum
The Maldives–Singapore Business Forum 2025, held at Capella Singapore, brought together over 200 delegates, including high-ranking government officials, international investors, and leading executives from both countries. As part of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s ongoing state visit to Singapore, the event highlighted the Maldives’ ambition to emerge as a premium investment destination in the Indian Ocean.
PCB Appoints Directors to Support State-Backed Development Bank
The Privatisation and Corporatisation Board (PCB) has appointed four members to the Board of Directors of the newly established Development Bank of Maldives Limited. The appointments, made on 29 June under the governing legislation on state-owned enterprises, mark a key step in operationalising the institution.
The new board members are Hassan Miras, Ahmed Azyan...
Sargsyan to Oversee IFC and MIGA Operations in Maldives as World Bank Group Consolidates Presence
Gevorg Sargsyan, who has been serving as the World Bank Country Manager for the Maldives since 2023, has now assumed an expanded portfolio, overseeing all arms of the World Bank Group operating in the country. This includes the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), marking a shift towards unified leadership in supporting...
Thilamalé Bridge Reaches Key Milestone with Piling Phase Finished
The Thilamalé Bridge project has passed a critical juncture with the completion of its piling works, marking significant progress in one of the Maldives’ most ambitious infrastructure undertakings. According to the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure, this phase was the most technically demanding element of the project, and its conclusion brings overall completion to just over...
President Muizzu, Singapore Leaders Chart Future of Bilateral Ties
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed were formally welcomed in Singapore yesterday, as part of the President’s ongoing state visit to commemorate five decades of diplomatic relations between the Maldives and Singapore.
The ceremonial reception took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where the couple was received by Singaporean President...
Architecture That Breathes: How Aséria Balances Climate and Comfort
Situated on the northeastern edge of Hulhumalé, Aséria is emerging as a true architectural marvel in the Maldives. With strong interest from discerning clients, the project is set for completion by May 2027. The word Aséria (pronounced 'A-Say-Ria') comes from the Dhivehi word 'Asseyri', meaning coastline or shoreline. It is also used to describe the english phrase...
Maldives Halal Travel Wraps Up Major Campaigns in Bosnia, Malaysia, and the Philippines
Maldives Halal Travel has concluded three major destination marketing campaigns across Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Philippines, and Malaysia, wrapping up the initiative on 20 June 2025. The campaign also marked the launch of the fourth edition of the Maldives Halal Travel Magazine, a significant milestone for both the platform and the Maldives tourism sector.
Maldives Targets New Wave of Investors With 50-Year Resort Leases
In its latest bid to expand high-value tourism infrastructure, the Government of Maldives has opened public tendering for the lease, development, operation, and management of 14 resort plots. These include vast lagoons and smaller islands across five atolls. Announced by the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, the tender represents one of the most ambitious resort development calls...
LATEST ARTICLES
The Price of Residency: What the Maldives Must Fix Before Welcoming Wealth
This week, the Maldives officially entered the global investment migration market. In partnership with Henley & Partners, the country is launching its...
MMPRC Acknowledges Financial Losses, Outlines Reforms and Marketing Push
The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) has responded to heightened scrutiny over its financial performance, after audit and parliamentary reports...
Maldives Sees Modest Inflation Rise in May, Driven by Electricity and Food Prices
Inflation in the Maldives edged up in May 2025, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising by 0.48 percent compared to April....
Business Owners Must Apply for Tobacco Licence by 17 July, Says HPA
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has reminded business owners that 17 July is the deadline to apply for a licence to conduct...
MMA Report: Resort Tourism Dips Even as Tourist Arrivals Surge in May
Tourist arrivals to the Maldives rose by 13 percent in May 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to the...
