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Bank Of Cyprus Reports €1.82M CEO Pay, Higher Costs And Digital Growth In 2025

Executive Compensation And Strategic Alignment

Bank of Cyprus’ 2025 annual report highlights a continued focus on linking executive remuneration to strategic performance. The bank positions its compensation framework as a tool to support talent retention and organizational goals, despite overall pay levels in Cyprus remaining below those in larger European markets. CEO Panikos Nicolaou received total compensation of €1,820,232, evenly split between fixed and variable components, reflecting a performance-linked structure.

Operational Overview And Workforce Trends

Workforce figures show a slight decline, with total employees at 2,850 in 2025 compared to 2,880 a year earlier. Permanent staff continued to represent the majority of the workforce. Hiring and exits remained active, with 155 recruits and 218 departures recorded during the year. Internal mobility included 33 transfers, while attrition remained minimal at 0.08. Personnel expenses increased to €225 million from €203 million in 2024. The rise reflects cost-of-living adjustments, higher performance-related incentives, and provisions related to staff restructuring.

Addressing The Gender Pay Gap

The report provides a detailed breakdown of gender pay disparities. Excluding the Long-Term Incentive Program (LTIP), the gender pay gap narrowed slightly to 12.4% from 12.6% in 2024. Including LTIP, the gap stood at 14.7%, compared to 15.1% a year earlier. The difference is largely linked to workforce structure, with a higher concentration of women in lower-paid roles and men in senior positions. Ongoing monitoring and benchmarking form part of the bank’s approach to gradually addressing these imbalances.

Shareholder Value And Dividend Policy

For 2026, Bank of Cyprus plans to distribute 70% of adjusted recurring earnings as a common dividend, reaching the upper end of its stated payout range. An additional distribution of up to 20% remains under consideration, potentially bringing the total payout to 90%. Longer-term targets indicate a possible increase to 100% of adjusted recurring earnings by 2027–2028, subject to market conditions and capital planning. Distributions are expected to be primarily cash-based, with share buybacks considered where appropriate.

Innovation In Digital Banking

Digital transformation remains a central pillar of the bank’s strategy. Active online banking users reached 504,000, reflecting continued adoption of digital channels. Enhancements to the BoC Mobile App now include integrated insurance offerings developed in collaboration with general insurance providers. Growth in digital sales further supports the shift toward a more technology-driven banking model.

Performance Metrics And Future Outlook

Digital product performance showed mixed but stable results. Quickloans disbursements reached €95.5 million, compared to €106.7 million in 2024. At the same time, digital insurance channels generated €995,000 in premiums, indicating gradual expansion in non-traditional banking services. Overall, the 2025 report reflects a strategy focused on cost discipline, workforce adjustments, and continued investment in digital capabilities to support long-term growth.

payabl. Launches Click To Pay With Visa To Help Merchants Improve Checkout Conversion And Reduce Fraud

payabl. has launched Click to Pay with Visa, a new card payment experience designed to help merchants reduce checkout friction, improve authorisation rates, and deliver a faster, more secure online payment journey.

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Click to Pay replaces manual card number entry with a token-based checkout experience. Once a customer’s card is enrolled, they can complete purchases in just a few clicks, without re-entering card details. The result is a faster checkout that mirrors the ease of contactless payments in-store, while maintaining strong security standards.

For merchants, the impact is measurable. According to Visa, Click to Pay can deliver up to a 11% uplift in authorisation rates compared to manual card entry, alongside significant fraud reduction through network tokenisation. Faster checkout also helps reduce cart abandonment, particularly on mobile, where typing card details remains a major source of friction.

“With online checkout, every extra step costs conversion,” said Breno Oliveira, Chief Product Officer at payabl. “Visa Click to Pay removes one of the biggest points of friction at the moment of purchase. It helps merchants approve more legitimate transactions, reduce fraud exposure, and give customers the experience they already expect.” 

Visa Click to Pay is available through payabl. checkout, enabling merchants to activate the service without additional integration complexity. The solution works across devices and supports existing security flows, including 3D Secure where required.

“Consumers have come to expect a highly personalised, intuitive, and seamless payment experience, whether they’re buying a coffee, shopping online, or applying for a loan. Visa Click to Pay aims to meet these expectations by removing the need to manually enter card details, thus enhancing both security and the consumer experience in online card payments. With the support of network tokens, Visa Click to Pay enabled a more secure and smoother transaction process, available in many countries around the world. According to European VisaNet data, Visa Click to Pay may allow a 4.5% uplift in merchant sales, meaning a possible annual increase of €51 bn in SMB eCommerce sales in the UK and EU,” said Michael Ioannides, Country Manager, Visa Cyprus.

The launch forms part of payabl.’s broader focus on checkout optimisation, helping merchants improve conversion, approvals, and payment reliability at scale. Click to Pay with Visa is now live for eligible merchants across Europe. 

Checkout expectations are rising across Europe 

Insights from payabl.’s State of European Checkouts report underline why frictionless checkout experiences are becoming a commercial priority. The research found that consumers cite speed (46%), convenience (44%), and security (41%) as the top reasons for choosing a payment method. More than half of consumers (53%) are open to switching to newer payment methods and nearly half (48%) are open to one-click checkouts, provided the solution is backed by a trusted brand such as Visa.

“Checkout is no longer just the final step of a transaction,” said Oliveira. “It is a critical part of the overall customer experience. Our research shows that 43% of European consumers will not return to a site after a poor checkout experience. For merchants across the UK and Europe, that translates directly into lost customers and lost revenue.”

The launch forms part of payabl.’s broader focus on checkout optimisation, helping merchants improve conversion, approvals, and payment reliability at scale. Click to Pay with Visa is now live for eligible merchants across Europe.

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