HSBC Bank Malta Plc

Major Shareholding Notification • Mar 25, 2025

25 March 2025

COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT

The following is a Company Announcement issued by HSBC Bank Malta p.l.c. ("the Bank") pursuant to the Capital Markets Rules of the Malta Financial Services Authority ("MFSA").

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Reference is made to the Extraordinary General Meeting that was held on Thursday 13 February 2025 whereby the shareholders approved the resolution presented and authorised the Bank, to furnish, in confidence, information, including unpublished price sensitive information, to a bona fide offeror(s) and the corresponding bona fide transferor, as may be necessary to enable the bona fide offeror(s), the bona fide transferor and their respective advisers to make, confirm, withdraw or modify any offer(s) for a Substantial Shareholding (as defined in Capital Markets Rule 5.174).

Following such authorisation, the Bank signed a confidentiality agreement with HSBC Continental Europe ("the prospective transferor") on 24 February 2025. Furthermore, the Bank is in the process of signing confidentiality agreements with a number of prospective offerors and will be proceeding to furnish information in confidence to them.

The Bank has been informed by HSBC Holdings plc that there is no preferred offeror and that the process remains at an early stage. Any potential transaction would require regulatory approval from both the MFSA and the European Central Bank ("ECB"), a process that would be expected to take several months from entry into any binding agreement.

HSBC Holdings plc has confirmed that it remains committed to supporting the Bank, its customers and its employees throughout this process.

The Bank will continue to provide information to the market in line with its obligations under the Capital Markets Rules of the MFSA.

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Dr Paula Mamo LL.D. Company Secretary