A Cyprus Investment Firm (CIF) is considered any legal entity offering professional investment services established in the Republic of Cyprus and licensed by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC). Over the past two decades, Cyprus has developed as a hub for investment firms with an ever-growing number of licensed entities under CySEC’s supervision. To…
Cyprus: A Headquartering Hub for Tech Companies Over the past two decades, Cyprus has developed as a headquartering hub, with global organizations choosing the country as the home for their major operations. Companies from the USA, Russia, Ukraine, and Israel have already relocated their headquarters in Cyprus, taking advantage of the island’s cutting-edge regulatory regime,…
In just a few years, Cyprus has become one of the top emerging investment fund centers in Europe. At the end of the third quarter of 2021, the amount of Assets under Management of Cypriot investment funds reached €11.6 billion, and the island’s growth rate has far outshined that of other European countries. Xenia Neophytou,…
Since their inception, cryptocurrencies have exploded as an alternative way to trade currency. However, many stakeholders still do not understand cryptocurrency or its impact on anti-money laundering (AML). That needs to change as cryptocurrency adoption continues to grow. The majority of cryptocurrency transactions are for legitimate purposes. However, cryptocurrency’s place outside the traditional financial system…
Sanctions regimes against Russia are changing fast. The three main sanctions regimes targeting Russia so far are the United States, European Union & the United Kingdom. On 25 February 2022, the EU decided to freeze the assets of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and and its foreign affairs minister Sergey Lavrov. In addition, the EU imposed…
In our previous article, we have talked about the main provisions of a CIF. One of the most common inquiries we receive relates to the procedure in order to set-up a CIF, through the Cyprus Security and Exchange Commission (the ‘CySEC’) and the fees payable, accompanied by the CIF application of a new license and…
The financial sector in Cyprus is continuously growing. Our company has been successfully obtaining licences for our clients for the authorisation of Investment Firms (CIFs), Investment Funds (AIFS and AIF Managers) and Electronic Money Institutions (EMIs). We undertake, advise and support with the application process. We fully support them in setting up their business, maintaining it operational and addressing their post-licensing…
As global regulations and stakeholder expectations increase significantly, organizations are exposed to a greater degree of compliance risk than ever before. Compliance risk is a threat to a company’s financial, organizational, or reputational standing resulting from violations of laws, regulations, codes of conduct, or standards of practice. Cyprus Investment Firms (‘CIFs’), Alternative Investment Funds (‘AIFs’)…
In a little over a decade, Bitcoin and other crypto assets have progressed from an idea to an economic phenomenon. We have seen cryptocurrencies explode as a viable way to trade currency. Due to its very nature and initial lack of regulation, it resulted in a large stream of illicit activity – namely money laundering.…
Social media driving retail trading activity is a trend that is changing the market dynamics nowadays. Wild fluctuations in stock and crypto prices stir a range of feelings among investors, i.e., envy, confusion, and fear of missing out. However, the majority of the online traders are confused, wondering how to get in on the action.…