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Cyprus Banks Maintain Steady Lending Criteria Amid Stable Demand

Cyprus banks have upheld their lending standards in the third quarter of 2025, with unchanged terms for both businesses and households, according to the latest Bank Lending Survey (BLS) conducted by the Central Bank of Cyprus. This consistent approach reflects a broader stability in the financial sector amid an evolving economic landscape.

Steady Loan Supply and Stable Terms

The survey highlights a steadfast adherence to established lending criteria across all client categories. Whether for business ventures or household financing, the criteria for granting loans remain consistent with previous quarters. This stability extends to specific terms for new business loans, where a slight decline in interest rates and banking margins can be observed. These adjustments, attributed to heightened competition and a more favorable economic risk profile, underscore the evolving market dynamics.

Anticipated Uptick in Loan Demand

Despite the stable supply side, banks anticipate a rise in net loan demand in the upcoming fourth quarter. Both businesses and households are expected to seek additional credit for various purposes, including housing, consumer needs, and other credit facilities. This forecast suggests that while the lending criteria remain unchanged, consumer confidence and economic activity might drive higher demand for credit.

Neutral Impact Across Lending Categories

The overall analysis from the CBC confirms that all underlying factors influencing lending standards – for business, housing, consumer, and other loans – have had a neutral impact over the period reviewed. This balanced stance in both loan supply and demand points toward a sustained continuity in the banking sector’s approach to credit risk and market competition.

As Cyprus navigates through a complex economic environment, these measured adjustments and stable lending practices provide a resilient foundation for future growth and investment.

Meta’s Muse Is Outpacing ChatGPT In Early Mobile Adoption, New Data Suggests

Meta’s new AI app, Muse, may be emerging as one of the company’s strongest consumer launches to date. Fresh estimates from market intelligence firm Apptopia suggest the app has outperformed ChatGPT in early mobile traction, at least in the U.S. and Canada.

According to Apptopia, Muse recorded more downloads in its first 12 days on the market than ChatGPT did during the comparable period after its mobile debut. The comparison, limited to the U.S. and Canada, puts Muse’s iOS downloads at 1.8 million versus 1.3 million for ChatGPT over the same initial window.

A Strong Early Start Across Platforms

In total, Muse has reached 2.8 million global installs in its first 12 days, according to the firm. The app’s momentum also appears to be holding. After debuting at No. 2 on the U.S. App Store, Muse has since climbed to No. 1, surpassing ChatGPT, according to reporting from Business Insider. Appfigures had previously estimated that Muse crossed 1 million downloads shortly after launch.

That early rise matters because app-store performance in the first days after launch often signals whether a product can sustain consumer attention beyond initial curiosity. In Meta’s case, the data suggests Muse is not simply benefiting from novelty; it is gaining ground quickly enough to challenge the category leader.

Daily Users Show Similar Momentum

Apptopia’s estimates point to another favorable comparison for Meta: daily usage. In the U.S. alone, Muse is said to have 642,000 daily active users, well above the 231,000 ChatGPT had at the same stage of its mobile rollout.

To make the comparison fairer, Apptopia also narrowed the analysis to iOS only, since ChatGPT launched on iPhone before expanding more broadly. Even under that tighter lens, Muse still comes out ahead, with 359,000 daily active users on iOS compared with ChatGPT’s earlier figure.

Why Meta Has An Advantage

Third-party estimates are not the same as internal company data, and Apptopia cannot see Meta’s proprietary numbers. Still, even directional data suggests Muse may be on track to become a meaningful consumer product for Meta.

That possibility is strengthened by Meta’s distribution advantage. The company has already demonstrated how powerful its ecosystem can be with Threads, which surpassed 500 million users after heavy promotion across Instagram and Facebook. Muse is likely to receive a similar boost, especially because it can connect across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Apptopia does not track Meta’s internal promotion strategy, but its data indicates that more than 95% of Muse users are also Facebook users, while 63% are Instagram users. That overlap underscores how effectively Meta can move users across its products when it chooses to prioritize a launch.

The Strategic Test For Meta

For Meta, the early signal from Muse is less about one app’s download count than about whether the company can turn its scale into durable AI adoption. The first test is attention. The harder one is retention.

If Muse can convert early downloads into habitual use, Meta may have found a new front door into its AI ambitions. If not, the app risks becoming another example of how easily mobile hype can spike before settling back down.

Meta, which was asked for comment, has not yet released public figures on Muse’s early adoption.

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