Breaking news

Cyprus Bank Charts Bold Growth Path With Record Loan Expansion And Elevated Capital Strategy

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

November 13, 2025

Amid one of its strongest performance periods to date, Cyprus Bank is initiating a strategic deployment of surplus capital in the first quarter of 2026. With a keen focus on serving the business community, the bank intends to offer corporate loans—mirroring the same streamlined process used for personal accounts—thereby advancing its digital banking infrastructure.

Digital Innovations Fuel Customer Engagement

Looking ahead to the first quarter of 2026, Cyprus Bank is set to launch an advanced chatbot solution. This digital tool will enable customers to resolve inquiries regarding bank services quickly and efficiently, underscoring the institution’s commitment to leveraging technology as a competitive differentiator.

Follow THE FUTURE on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and Telegram

Record Loan Growth Reflects Market Confidence

The bank reported record levels of new lending during the nine-month period ending September 30, 2025, with total loans reaching €2.23 billion—a 31% year-over-year increase. This growth spanned multiple business sectors, driven by international operations and corporate financing, with €635 million allocated in the third quarter alone.

Specifically, new loans disbursed in the third quarter of 2025 were distributed as follows: €249 million in large corporate lending, €207 million in retail banking (including €136 million in mortgage loans), €51 million to small and medium-sized enterprises, and €128 million in international operations.

Strategic Capital Deployment And Future Targets

CEO Panicos Nikolaou emphasized that acquisitions will be driven by strategic value rather than mere optics. Any acquisition proposal will undergo rigorous evaluation by the board, ensuring that competitive pressures, particularly those stemming from technological advancements, remain paramount.

Furthermore, the bank is resolutely pursuing an aggressive loan growth strategy in both local and international markets. With external financing already at €1.2 billion and an annual target of €1.5 billion, the bank projects a lending growth rate exceeding 4% in 2026. Concurrently, non-performing loans have declined to 1.2%, with coverage ratios improving to 124%, thereby maintaining a low risk-cost basis of 35 basis points and supporting robust net interest income.

Revised Performance Targets And Shareholder Returns

In light of a strong third quarter—delivering a return on equity of 18.5% and net profits of €118 million—Cyprus Bank has raised its annual expectations. The bank now anticipates net interest income to approach €720 million this year, an upward revision from earlier forecasts of just under €700 million. Additionally, organic capital generation is expected to exceed 300 basis points, with a sustained increase in the ROTE ratio, transitioning from the mid-teens to the high teens.

Looking forward, the bank also expects an improved cost-to-income ratio and a reduction in risk-cost estimates below 40% and 40 basis points, respectively. Underpinned by these robust financial metrics, the group is targeting a payout ratio of 70% on its 2025 profits, aligning with its upper-range distribution policy of 50-70% and ensuring enhanced value creation for its shareholders.

The Future Forbes Realty Global Properties

EU Investigates Booking.com Over Fake Listings And Advertising Transparency

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 21, 2026

The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation into whether Booking.com complied with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), focusing on fraudulent property listings, phishing scams and the transparency of paid search results.

Regulators will assess whether the platform adequately identified and mitigated consumer risks, including financial losses caused by fake accommodation offers and deceptive messages.

Follow THE FUTURE on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and Telegram

Fake Listings And Consumer Protection

As part of the investigation, the Commission will examine whether Booking.com took sufficient steps to address listings for non-existent properties, impersonation fraud and accommodation offers that may not meet applicable requirements. It will also assess the platform’s safeguards for removing fraudulent or non-compliant listings.

Phishing Risks And Guest Data

Another area of scrutiny concerns the risks associated with sharing reservation and guest data with accommodation providers, as well as the design of Booking.com’s messaging tools.

Weak safeguards could allow scammers to exploit these channels to obtain personal information or trick customers into making fraudulent payments.

Paid Search Results Under Scrutiny

A further focus is whether Booking.com clearly identifies paid-for search results. Accommodation providers can pay higher commissions to improve their rankings, but EU rules require users to recognise advertisements and understand who paid for them, why they are being shown and how advertising preferences can be adjusted.

Potential DSA Violations

If confirmed, the suspected failures could breach Articles 34 and 35 of the DSA, which require very large online platforms to assess and mitigate systemic risks. The investigation may also concern Article 26(1), which sets out transparency requirements for online advertising.

According to the Commission, the investigation will be treated as a priority. Possible next steps include requests for further information, interviews and inspections. The Commission may also impose interim measures, issue a non-compliance decision or accept commitments from Booking.com.

Opening proceedings does not prejudge the outcome. However, during the investigation, the Commission will directly supervise the suspected advertising-transparency issue under Article 26(1), rather than leaving it to national authorities.

Wider Implications For Online Marketplaces

The investigation follows the Commission’s review of Booking.com’s risk assessment and transparency reports, alongside its responses to formal information requests issued on September 23, 2025, and May 26, 2026. The Commission is working with the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets, the country’s Digital Services Coordinator.

Booking.com was designated a Very Large Online Platform under EU law on April 25, 2023. The case will test whether the company’s safeguards for consumer protection, security and advertising transparency meet the requirements imposed on major online platforms.