Efforts in investor protection and education continued with ongoing campaigns in educational institutions and online platforms, aligned with international initiatives and new educational materials for safe digital finance navigation.

Enforcement actions totaled about €2.3 million in fines and settlements for 2025, with cumulative penalties reaching €7.3 million over three years, plus hundreds of corrective actions, license suspensions or revocations, and halted trading in select securities; some cases referred to authorities.

Investor education remained central with activities during Global Money Week and World Investor Week, expanding digital content and tools to reach students and strengthen the Financial Education Portal.

Licensing and supervision expanded, with 47 new licenses in 2025 bringing total supervised entities to 808 and assets under management in collective investment schemes reaching €11.4 billion.

Digital transformation priorities included licensing and examination management automation, ISO 27001 certification, and a targeted HR expansion of dozens of positions in 2026.

CySEC disclosed its 2025 review and strategic priorities at a press conference led by its Chairman, outlining the focus areas for the year.

CySEC’s 2025 enforcement cycle saw around 600 inspections of Cyprus Investment Firms and related entities, targeting professional conduct, sustainability risks, data quality, capital adequacy, MiFID II, DORA, and MiCA compliance, while also addressing influencer-led investment promotion.

The regulator stressed accountability, transparency, and a steadfast commitment to investor protection, market integrity, and sustainable development amid ongoing European regulatory reforms and digitization.

Special attention was given to social media-driven investment promotions (finfluencers) and tightening anti-money laundering and sanctions controls, including AML inspections and enhanced monitoring linked to EU sanctions on Russia.

Financial literacy remained a core focus through campaigns in schools, universities, and digital media, alongside participation in international initiatives and development of new materials for safe digital finance navigation.

CySEC accelerated its digital transformation with investments in IT systems, data analytics, AI, and cybersecurity, while planning a significant increase in staff in 2026.

Overall supervised entities rose by about 2.5% since 2020, with 61 licensing applications still under evaluation as CySEC continues to broaden its oversight.