The Bank of Cyprus and Wealthyhood have launched a co-branded investment platform aimed at making investing more accessible in Cyprus, with the service available to all residents regardless of whether they are customers of the bank.

Marking the first major milestone in the strategic partnership between the two companies, the launch follows the Bank of Cyprus’ role as lead investor in Wealthyhood’s €6 million funding round earlier this year.

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A Platform Designed To Expand Access

Combining Wealthyhood’s digital investment infrastructure with the Bank of Cyprus’ customer reach, the new Wealthyhood x BoC mobile app and web platform is designed to broaden access to investing across the island.

Although open to all residents of Cyprus, Bank of Cyprus customers will benefit from a simplified onboarding process. By linking their bank accounts, users can complete identity verification more quickly, transfer funds seamlessly and begin investing with fewer steps.

Additional features and customer benefits are expected as integration between the two companies continues to evolve.

Strengthening Digital Investing In Cyprus

For Wealthyhood, the partnership represents far more than a funding relationship. Co-founder and Chief Executive Alexandros Christodoulakis said the bank’s decision to partner with the company validates the technology it has spent years developing.

“Our partnership with the Bank of Cyprus is far more than a capital investment. It is enterprise-level validation of the infrastructure we have spent years building.”

Rather than investing significant time and resources in developing its own platform, the bank chose to partner with an established wealthtech provider, allowing it to bring a digital investment solution to market more quickly. Christodoulakis also emphasised that the platform is intended to promote disciplined, long-term investing rather than speculative trading.

“We are not here to launch another speculative day-trading gimmick. We are here to bridge the financial literacy gap for Millennials and Generation Z across Cyprus, giving them the tools, transparency and structure they need to take control of their financial future with confidence.”

Addressing A Gap In The Local Market

According to Christos M. Ioannou, Head of Private and Affluent Banking at the Bank of Cyprus, the partnership was created to address growing demand for a modern, accessible investment platform.

“Recognising a gap in the Cypriot market for a modern and accessible digital investment platform, the Bank of Cyprus entered into a strategic partnership with Wealthyhood to make investing more accessible to a wider audience.”

Available to everyone in Cyprus, the platform is intended not only for existing Bank of Cyprus customers but for anyone looking to begin investing. That approach, Ioannou said, reflects the bank’s broader commitment to improving financial literacy and encouraging wider investment participation across the country.

He added that the initiative is designed to help younger generations and first-time investors start building wealth in a simple, responsible and secure way.

Tools For Every Type Of Investor

Among the platform’s features are a financial literacy hub with more than 50 educational guides, a financial glossary, daily market updates and analyst insights tailored to local users.

Investors will also gain access to international markets, including fractional share investing from as little as €1, while trades will be available with zero commission fees.

To accommodate different investment styles, the app combines self-directed investing with an AI-powered portfolio builder and robo-advisory tools. Autopilot enables users to automate recurring investments and portfolio rebalancing, while an AI Co-Pilot, currently under development, will allow users to ask questions about markets and portfolios, manage accounts and execute investment orders through a conversational interface.

Investment Risk Still Applies

As with any investment product, the companies reminded users that investments can rise or fall in value.

Investment services are provided exclusively by Wealthyhood Europe AEPEY. The Bank of Cyprus does not provide investment services or investment advice and is not responsible for the services offered through the platform.

Mercedes-Benz reported weaker second-quarter sales in its core passenger car business on Wednesday, highlighting the growing pressure European automakers continue to face in China’s increasingly competitive premium vehicle market.

China Remains The Biggest Challenge

The German automaker delivered 417,800 passenger cars during the second quarter, an 8% decline from the same period a year earlier, according to a company statement.

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The steepest drop came in China, where deliveries fell 30% year on year. Mercedes attributed the decline to “an intensifying competitive environment and the timing of the company’s current product ramp-ups.”

Stronger Performance In The U.S. And Europe

The weakness in China was partly offset by stronger results in other key markets. Passenger car sales increased 10% in the United States and 4% in Europe, suggesting demand remains relatively resilient outside the world’s largest automotive market.

The regional divergence reflects the increasingly uneven operating environment for global automakers, with China continuing to weigh on overall performance despite healthier conditions elsewhere.

Electric Vehicle Sales Accelerate

Mercedes also reported solid momentum in electric mobility. Deliveries of battery-electric vehicles, including both passenger cars and vans, rose 50% year on year to 63,000 units.

The increase points to continued progress in the company’s electrification strategy, even as overall sales remain under pressure across several markets.

Premium Carmakers Face Mounting Pressure In China

Mercedes is far from alone in facing a tougher competitive landscape in China, where domestic manufacturers have intensified price competition and expanded their presence in the premium segment. The shift has put growing pressure on foreign brands that have traditionally relied on the Chinese market as a major source of both sales growth and profitability.

The industry’s challenges were underscored last month when BMW lowered its 2026 core margin forecast to as little as 1%, citing similar headwinds in China.

The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) has urged regulated financial firms to strengthen their anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) controls as the European Union’s transition period under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) ended on July 1, 2026.

In a circular issued this week, the regulator referred firms to new guidance from the EU Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLA), outlining the risks that may emerge as the crypto-asset market adapts to the new regulatory framework.

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Market Transition Raises New Compliance Challenges

With the transition period now over, firms wishing to continue providing crypto-asset services in the European Union must be authorised as MiCA-compliant Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs).

CySEC said the market is expected to undergo significant changes as unauthorised virtual asset service providers either cease operations or their customers move to authorised firms. According to AMLA, that process could increase money laundering and terrorist financing risks if firms fail to maintain appropriate controls while customers and assets are transferred.

A Risk-Based Approach Remains Essential

Rather than automatically rejecting customers moving from unauthorised providers, AMLA recommends that authorised firms assess each relationship individually. CySEC echoed that guidance, urging firms to avoid blanket de-risking practices and instead apply customer due diligence measures proportionate to each customer’s risk profile.

The regulator said maintaining a risk-based approach remains central to ensuring effective compliance while allowing legitimate business relationships to continue.

Wind-Down Plans Require Continued Oversight

CySEC also highlighted the risks associated with firms exiting the market, warning that AML and CTF controls may weaken during the wind-down process, particularly where compliance shortcomings already exist.

To mitigate those risks, firms should maintain robust governance arrangements, adequate resources and documented wind-down plans where required under national legislation. Customer due diligence, transaction monitoring and suspicious transaction reporting must remain fully operational until all regulated activities have formally ceased.

The regulator also noted that rapid market exits could reduce visibility over customer relationships and crypto-asset transfers, potentially creating opportunities for illicit financial activity, including sanctions evasion.

Customer Migration May Increase Risk Exposure

For authorised CASPs, the transition may significantly alter customer profiles as clients migrate from firms that are no longer permitted to operate.

CySEC said firms should ensure their transaction monitoring systems, staffing levels and operational capacity are sufficient to manage higher volumes of onboarding and crypto-asset transfers. Customer due diligence should remain at the centre of the onboarding process, with enhanced due diligence applied where higher risks are identified.

At the same time, the regulator stressed that customers transferring from unauthorised virtual asset service providers should not automatically be considered high risk. Instead, every relationship should be assessed individually under a risk-based framework.

FATF Guidance Supports The New Framework

CySEC also directed firms to guidance issued by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on the risks associated with offshore and unauthorised virtual asset service providers.

According to the regulator, supervised entities are expected to identify and assess money laundering and terrorist financing risks arising from relationships, transactions and business activities involving such providers, and to apply appropriate mitigation measures where necessary.

The circular concludes that regulated entities should fully consider the risks arising from MiCA’s implementation and continue strengthening their risk-based AML and CTF controls in line with Cyprus’ Prevention and Suppression of Money Laundering Activities Law.

Cyprus recorded more than 5.5 million overnight stays in tourist accommodation during July and August 2025, highlighting the island’s continued reliance on the peak summer season, according to data released by Eurostat.

Peak Season Continues To Dominate

The EU statistical office reported 2,627,725 overnight stays in Cyprus in July and 2,953,148 in August, bringing the combined total for the two busiest months of the year to 5,580,873.

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Visitor numbers remained strong into the shoulder season, with 2,484,732 overnight stays recorded in September and 2,382,970 in October, before dropping to 859,936 in November and 504,843 in December.

Seasonality Remains A Defining Feature Of European Tourism

Across the European Union, 31.1% of all overnight stays in tourist accommodation during 2025 were concentrated in July and August, which were the busiest tourism months in every member state.

According to Eurostat, seasonal travel patterns continue to be shaped by factors such as climate, geography and school holidays. For Mediterranean destinations, those factors concentrate demand into a relatively short period, creating opportunities during the summer while increasing pressure to attract visitors throughout the rest of the year.

Cyprus Among Europe’s More Seasonal Markets

Croatia recorded the strongest seasonal concentration in the EU, with 54.5% of annual overnight stays taking place in July and August. Bulgaria followed with 43.4%, while Greece recorded 41.6%.

At the opposite end of the ranking, Malta had the lowest share of overnight stays during the peak season at 21.9%, followed by Germany at 24.0% and Finland at 24.1%.

August Remained The Busiest Month

Across the EU, August was once again the busiest month for tourism. Eurostat said the number of overnight stays that month was 3.6 times higher than in January, the quietest month of the year.

The contrast was even more pronounced in some destinations. In Croatia, overnight stays in August were 41.1 times higher than in January, while Greece recorded a ratio of 20.5.

For Cyprus, the figures underline the importance of the summer season to the tourism industry while also highlighting the role of the shoulder months in extending visitor activity beyond the traditional peak period.

The Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO) has launched a new guidebook to help governments turn ethical artificial intelligence principles into practical public policy, unveiling the publication in Geneva alongside the first United Nations Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance.

As governments around the world move from debating AI ethics to building regulatory frameworks, the challenge is no longer defining principles but translating them into laws, institutions and governance models that can keep pace with rapidly evolving technology. Cyprus, which joined the DCO as part of its broader strategy to strengthen international cooperation on digital transformation, is among the organisation’s member states.

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A Policy Blueprint For The AI Era

The DCO launched the DCO Ethical AI Guidebook for Policymakers on July 8 during a session organised with the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) and the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE).

The event, titled “Responsible, Trusted, and Safe AI for Prosperity: From Principles to Practice,” took place on the sidelines of the United Nations Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance, held in Geneva on July 6 and July 7, 2026.

According to the DCO, the session brought together policymakers, international organisations, industry leaders, academics, civil society representatives and technical experts to examine how countries can accelerate the responsible adoption of AI through practical governance, capacity building and cross-border collaboration.

From Principles To Implementation

Designed for governments, regulators and national AI task forces, the guidebook aims to help translate high-level ethical commitments into legislation, national strategies and governance structures that support innovation while maintaining trust and accountability.

According to the DCO, the publication builds on its Principles for Ethical AI and the Riyadh AI Call to Action Declaration and forms part of a broader policy toolkit intended to strengthen national AI readiness and support more consistent policymaking across jurisdictions.

That toolkit also includes the DCO AI Ethics Evaluator, the AI-REAL Toolkit and Web Portal, and the Digital Economy Navigator. Together, these resources are designed to strengthen institutional capacity, reinforce trust and support evidence-based policymaking and investment decisions.

Why Global AI Governance Still Faces A Capacity Gap

Speaking during the main programme of the UN Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance, DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya said more needs to be done to ensure that the “World Digital Majority” has a meaningful role in shaping the rules that will govern the next generation of AI.

“The architecture of the AI age is being drawn right now, and more than half the world’s nations are not holding the pen.”

In her view, the greatest challenge is not reaching agreement on ethical principles but giving governments the capacity to implement them effectively.

“The world does not lack principles. We agree AI must be responsible, trustworthy and inclusive. What the world lacks is the capacity to act on them.”

She said the new guidebook is intended to help close that gap by providing governments with practical tools to develop effective AI governance and ensure the technology becomes a driver of digital prosperity rather than fragmented regulation.

A Growing Multilateral Player In Digital Policy

Established in 2020, the Digital Cooperation Organisation describes itself as the world’s first standalone international intergovernmental organisation dedicated to accelerating the growth of an inclusive and sustainable digital economy.

Its 16 member states represent a combined economy of nearly $3.5 trillion and a market of more than 800 million people, with over 70% of the population under the age of 35. Against that backdrop, the organisation argues that effective AI governance will be just as important as technological innovation in ensuring long-term economic and social development.

Trust, effective supervision and responsible innovation will define the future of payments, senior officials from the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) and the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC) said during a conference on cryptocurrencies and digital assets in Limassol on Tuesday.

Crypto Moves Into Mainstream Finance

The conference brought together policymakers and market participants to discuss the rapid evolution of cryptocurrencies, digital assets and the broader financial ecosystem. Both speakers argued that crypto has moved beyond the fringes of finance and is becoming increasingly integrated into traditional markets.

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CySEC Chairman George Theocharides said digital assets are now interacting with regulated financial institutions, investment firms and institutional investors, describing the shift as a structural transformation rather than another market cycle.

MiCA Reshapes Europe’s Crypto Framework

Theocharides described the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) as a milestone for the industry, saying it establishes, for the first time, a harmonised regulatory framework for crypto-assets and related services across the European Union.

According to him, the framework provides greater legal certainty, reduces regulatory fragmentation between member states and strengthens investor protection while allowing innovation to develop within a supervised environment.

He also stressed that regulation should remain technology-neutral, focusing on risks and market conduct rather than the underlying technology.

Cyprus Looks To Bridge Traditional And Digital Finance

Theocharides said Cyprus is well positioned to connect traditional financial services with emerging digital finance, pointing to the country’s established regulatory framework for investment services and capital markets alongside its growing fintech ecosystem.

“The role of the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission is to ensure that this evolution takes place within a framework that protects investor confidence, promotes market integrity and supports the sustainable development of the financial sector,” he said.

Stablecoins And Digital Money Move Into Focus

Speaking at the same event, CBC Executive Board member George Karatzias said digital money is no longer a theoretical concept but an increasingly important part of the financial system.

He argued that innovation must be accompanied by strong oversight, adding that Europe is working to build a sovereign digital payments ecosystem centred on central bank money while allowing public and private forms of money to coexist. Karatzias said the rapid growth of stablecoins also increases the need for robust regulation.

“Scale brings responsibility, and responsibility requires supervision,” he said, adding that MiCA provides a comprehensive framework covering licensing, transparency, market integrity and consumer protection.

He also noted that euro-denominated stablecoins still account for only a small share of the global market, raising broader questions about Europe’s monetary sovereignty and dependence on foreign-currency digital assets.

The Digital Euro Moves Forward

Karatzias said the European Central Bank is continuing preparations for the digital euro, which is intended to complement commercial bank money while strengthening Europe’s payment infrastructure and reducing reliance on non-European providers.

He said the ECB plans to launch a 12-month pilot programme in the second half of 2027 to test the digital euro in real-world payment scenarios, including point-of-sale transactions and person-to-person transfers. Further details on the participation of Cypriot organisations are expected to be announced in the coming months.

For both regulators, the central message was consistent: as digital finance becomes more deeply embedded in the financial system, innovation must be supported by strong regulation, investor confidence and public trust.

WeWard, the Paris-based app that rewards users for walking, is expanding its focus beyond physical activity with a new feature designed to help people reduce screen time by tying access to social media and other apps to daily step goals.

A New Incentive To Get Moving

The feature, called Walking Mode, allows users to lock selected apps until they reach a preset number of steps. Someone, for example, can choose to block TikTok or Instagram until completing 3,000 steps, with the target fully customizable.

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The addition builds on WeWard’s existing model, which rewards users with in-app currency called Wards for walking. Those rewards can be exchanged for cash, gift cards or charitable donations, while a leaderboard introduces a social element by allowing users to compare their progress with friends and other members of the community.

Blending Fitness With Digital Wellbeing

Walking Mode reflects a broader shift in consumer behaviour, as more people look not only to become more active but also to spend less time on their phones. Rather than encouraging users to quit social media altogether, the feature creates a simple behavioural incentive by linking screen time to physical activity.

The approach positions WeWard as more than a fitness app, combining movement tracking with digital wellbeing tools at a time when concerns over excessive screen use continue to grow.

Expanding A Growing Platform

WeWard says it now serves 30 million users across 29 countries, including 4 million in the United States, and estimates that its platform has increased users’ walking time by nearly 25%. The company is also backed by tennis champion and angel investor Venus Williams.

Co-founder Yves Benchimol said the new feature reflects a broader philosophy behind the product.

“We believe the next generation of products should be designed to create healthier behaviors in the real world, not simply capture more attention,” he told TechCrunch. “Walking Mode is our contribution to that vision, and we hope it inspires a broader conversation about mindful design and how the industry defines success.”

A Different Approach To Engagement

Unlike many consumer apps that aim to maximise time spent on their platforms, WeWard says users typically spend only a few minutes a day inside the app. The company views that as a feature rather than a limitation, arguing that products designed to encourage real-world activity should not compete for users’ attention.

Its business model also differs from many consumer apps. Rather than selling user data to third parties, WeWard says it generates revenue through premium subscriptions, affiliate partnerships, advertising and in-app purchases.

As competition among wellness apps intensifies, Walking Mode represents WeWard’s latest attempt to combine financial incentives with healthier digital habits, encouraging users to spend more time moving and less time scrolling.

Cyprus recorded the highest share of household energy consumption devoted to space cooling in the European Union in 2024, according to new data from Eurostat, highlighting the growing impact of rising temperatures on residential energy demand across southern Europe.

Cyprus Leads The EU In Cooling Demand

Space cooling accounted for 16% of final household energy consumption in Cyprus last year, the highest share among EU member states. Malta ranked second at 15%, while Greece allocated 7.4% of household energy use to cooling, compared with 2.5% in Spain and 2.3% in Italy.

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Although larger countries such as Italy, Spain and Greece consumed more energy for air conditioning in absolute terms because of their larger populations, Cyprus stood out for the proportion of household energy dedicated to keeping homes cool.

Cooling Demand Continues To Rise

Across the European Union, household energy consumption for space cooling reached 80.4 thousand terajoules (TJ) in 2024, doubling from 40.5 thousand TJ in 2018. According to Eurostat, demand increased almost every year during that period, with only two temporary declines: a 2.5% drop in 2020 and a 1.9% decrease in 2023.

The broader trend nevertheless points to a steady increase in cooling demand as higher temperatures make air conditioning an increasingly important part of household energy use across the bloc.

Mediterranean Countries Face The Greatest Pressure

In absolute terms, Italy recorded the highest energy consumption for space cooling at 26.3 thousand TJ, followed by Spain with 14.3 thousand TJ and Greece with 11.9 thousand TJ. However, when measured as a share of household energy use, Cyprus and Malta remain the EU’s most cooling-dependent countries, reflecting the greater impact of prolonged summer heat on the two Mediterranean island states.

The latest figures illustrate how climate change is reshaping energy consumption patterns across Europe. In the bloc’s warmer regions, space cooling is becoming less of a seasonal necessity and more of a permanent component of household electricity demand.

SpaceXAI Unveils Its Latest Flagship Model

SpaceXAI has released Grok 4.5, its newest model and the first major launch since the company went public several weeks ago. In a blog post published Wednesday, the company positioned the model as a practical workhorse built to handle the core tasks businesses are increasingly trying to automate: coding and app development, office and clerical workflows, research, writing, and other forms of routine knowledge work.

Efficiency Becomes A Competitive Advantage

Beyond raw capability, SpaceXAI is making a clear cost argument. The company says Grok 4.5 delivers “twice greater token efficiency” than other leading models, a claim that could matter as AI spending comes under closer scrutiny across enterprises. Token costs have become a meaningful line item for AI customers, particularly for teams deploying models at scale. If SpaceXAI’s efficiency claims hold up in real-world use, they could give the company a stronger position in a market where performance is increasingly judged alongside economics.

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Benchmark Results Show Strong But Not Dominant Performance

SpaceXAI also released benchmark data on Wednesday that suggests Grok remains highly competitive with leading models from rival labs, though still just short of best-in-class performance in some categories. The company’s message is straightforward: Grok 4.5 is meant to compete at the top end of the market without carrying the same price burden as the most expensive frontier models.

Musk Frames Grok As An Opus-Class Rival

On X, the social platform owned by SpaceXAI, founder Elon Musk compared Grok 4.5 with Opus, Anthropic’s model family built for demanding and complex tasks. “Based on strong positive feedback from customers in our beta test program, SpaceXAI will make Grok 4.5 available to the public tomorrow. It is an Opus-class model, but faster, more token-efficient and lower cost,” Musk wrote. He later added that internal testing suggested Grok 4.5 is “roughly comparable to Opus 4.7, but much faster,” arguing that the combination of capability, speed, and lower cost is what makes it competitive.

Pricing May Be The Real Story

SpaceXAI says Grok 4.5 will cost $2 per million input tokens and $6 per million output tokens. That pricing is notably aggressive if the model performs as advertised. By comparison, Opus 4.7 costs $5 per million input tokens and $25 per million output tokens. OpenAI’s pricing structure varies by model tier: its most expensive model, Sol, costs $5 per million input tokens and $30 per million output tokens, while its least expensive, Luna, is priced at $1 per million input tokens and $6 per million output tokens.

A Busy Week For Frontier AI Releases

The launch comes during a crowded week for major model announcements. OpenAI is expected to release GPT 5.6, its newest and most powerful model, on Thursday. The rollout had previously been delayed by the Trump administration over security concerns. OpenAI has described the model as its “strongest model yet,” underscoring how quickly the competitive stakes continue to rise at the top of the AI market.

Alphabet-owned Google says its search engine set a historic usage record after Argentina’s dramatic World Cup knockout victory, underscoring how live sports continue to drive massive real-time demand for information.

Following Tuesday’s match, in which Argentina staged a late comeback before Lionel Messi’s decisive goal sealed the win in the 83rd minute, Google Search reached its highest level of activity in history, according to Nick Fox, head of the company’s Knowledge and Information unit.

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A Global Moment That Drove Search To New Highs

“Google Search broke all prior usage records and saw its highest usage in history right after Argentina scored their winning goal in yesterday’s match,” Fox wrote on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter.

A company spokesperson did not disclose exact figures, but confirmed to CNBC that “we saw the most queries per second happen right after the winning goal.”

The surge highlights the enduring power of major live events to concentrate global attention in a matter of seconds. In the digital economy, few moments generate the same intensity of immediate curiosity as a World Cup knockout match, particularly when a player with Messi’s stature is involved.

What People Were Searching For

Google said the top search query after the game was “Argentina vs Egypt.” Globally, users also searched for terms including “argentina x colombia” and “how many world cup goals does messi have.” Other queries reflected both confusion and curiosity in the heat of the moment, such as “what is it called when a player hits another player in game” and “is it messi’s last world cup.”

Those searches show how fans turn to Google not just for scores, but for context, history, and explanation. In moments like these, search functions less like a utility and more like a real-time companion to the event itself.

Why The Record Matters For Google

The milestone arrives as Google works to defend the central role of its search business in an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. Chatbots and AI assistants are changing how users discover information, raising new questions about the long-term dominance of traditional search.

For now, however, Google remains firmly in control. The company still commands roughly 90% of the search market, its stock has more than doubled over the past year, and first-quarter revenue growth was its fastest since 2022.

That combination of scale, habit, and reach remains difficult to replicate. The latest search record suggests that, even as the information landscape evolves, Google is still the default destination when the world wants answers fast.