Vehicle registrations in Cyprus rose 13.2% in the first half of 2026, driven by continued growth in hybrid passenger cars.

According to data from the Statistical Service, 29,367 motor vehicles were registered between January and June 2026, up from 25,954 in the corresponding period of 2025. Passenger saloon car registrations increased 13% to 22,597 from 20,004 a year earlier.

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Hybrids Now Command More Than Half Of The Market

Hybrid passenger cars accounted for 51.7% of passenger saloon registrations in the first six months of 2026, up from 43% a year earlier.

Petrol-powered cars accounted for 35.2% of registrations, down from 43.6%, while diesel vehicles declined to 8.2% from 8.6%. Pure electric vehicles represented 4.9% of registrations, compared with 4.8% in the same period of 2025.

New And Used Cars Continue To Shape Demand

Of the 22,597 passenger saloon cars registered during the period, 7,245 were new, and 15,352 were used. Rental car registrations fell 11.8% to 2,487 from 2,820 in the first half of 2025.

Commercial Vehicles And Motorcycles Post Mixed Results

Bus registrations increased to 111 from 78 a year earlier, while goods transport vehicles rose 14.9% to 3,510 from 3,055. Within that category, light trucks increased 12.9% to 2,795, road tractors rose 18.4% to 135, heavy trucks climbed 22.3% to 423, and rental goods transport vehicles increased 31.9% to 157. Motorcycle registrations were mixed. Mopeds below 50cc fell to 77 from 112, while motorcycles above 50cc increased 13.4% to 2,681 from 2,364.

June Growth Held Steady

Total vehicle registrations reached 5,624 in June 2026, up 13.8% from 4,942 in June 2025. Passenger saloon car registrations increased 14.8% to 4,338 from 3,780 a year earlier.

The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) Council has removed the special marking from the shares of Globalwealth Group Plc, which is listed on the Emerging Companies Market, following a review of the company’s annual financial report and the findings of its independent auditor for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025.

Regulatory Review Concludes With Marking Removal

The exchange said the decision was made in line with paragraph 2.2.7 of Directive KDP 379/2014, as amended, after the conditions that originally led to the imposition of the mark were no longer in place.

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Impact On Trading Tables And Price Bulletins

The removal of the (S) marking will be reflected in the CSE’s trading tables and price bulletins beginning July 13, 2026. For market participants, the move signals the conclusion of a regulatory concern that had previously warranted additional disclosure on the company’s shares.

Bank of Cyprus has been named one of Extel’s most honoured companies, ranking third in the Emerging EMEA Financials category in the financial intelligence provider’s annual survey.

A Vote Of Confidence From Investors

The ranking places the bank among the leading financial institutions across emerging markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

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Unlike awards decided by a judging panel, Extel’s rankings are based on votes from the investment community. Portfolio managers, analysts and other market participants assess companies on the quality of their communication, strategy and execution.

Strong Individual Results For Senior Leadership

Bank of Cyprus also reported strong results for members of its leadership team. Executive Director of Finance Eliza Leivadiotou was named Best CFO, ranking first among independent buy-side analysts and second among sell-side analysts.

According to the bank, the result reflects the credibility, transparency and technical depth of its communication on strategy, outlook and financial performance.

Investor Relations Team Gains Global Recognition

The group’s investor relations function also ranked highly. Strategy, Investor Relations & ESG Manager Annita Pavlou placed second in the Best IR Professional category, while the Bank of Cyprus Investor Relations Team ranked second in the Best IR Team category.

The survey drew on the views of 454 portfolio managers, international analysts and specialist researchers from 247 financial institutions worldwide, according to the bank.

Why The Ranking Matters

Extel is widely regarded as one of the financial industry’s leading benchmarking platforms, with its annual surveys used by investors to assess listed companies and their leadership teams.

Greek lender Alpha Bank is expanding its partnership with AI voice technology company ElevenLabs with the rollout of an artificial intelligence-powered voice assistant designed to make customer service faster, more natural and easier to navigate.

A More Direct Route To Support

Instead of guiding customers through multiple menu options and automated prompts, the new system allows them to describe their request in natural language before being connected to the most appropriate adviser. Alpha Bank says the approach is expected to reduce the time it takes customers to reach the right member of staff.

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With the launch, Alpha Bank becomes the first bank in Greece to deploy ElevenLabs’ voice technology at scale for customer service. The initiative forms part of the bank’s broader strategy to use artificial intelligence to strengthen, rather than replace, its customer-centric model.

Designed To Sound Familiar And Human

The bank says the technology is intended to support faster, more personalised service while complementing its existing network of specialist advisers. In collaboration with ElevenLabs, Alpha Bank developed a distinctive voice identity aimed at making interactions sound more familiar and natural.

The solution is powered by ElevenLabs’ ElevenAgents technology, which the bank said streamlines communication by enabling more direct, accessible conversations. The project is being implemented by ElevenLabs consultants, with support from Alpha Bank partners Barphone and SmartRep.

From Telephone Gateway To Digital Channels

The voice assistant will first be introduced through the bank’s customer service telephone gateway, before being extended across its broader digital contact points. It supports conversations in both Greek and English, handling the opening stage of the interaction before transferring customers to a specialist adviser when needed.

Customer experience has remained the central design principle throughout the project, according to the bank, with a focus on natural speech, seamless dialogue and minimal effort for users.

The same AI-generated voice will also be integrated into Alpha Bank’s e-banking and mobile banking chatbot, allowing customers who currently use text-based chat to move toward voice interaction in the near future. Alpha Bank said conversational understanding in the chatbot is powered by Moveo.ai, while ElevenLabs provides the voice layer.

Building A Broader Innovation Ecosystem

“Alpha Bank is developing a dynamic ecosystem that combines talent, technologies and partnerships to deliver projects at the forefront of developments in the banking sector,” chief executive Vassilios Psaltis said.

“Our partnership with ElevenLabs strengthens our ability to offer every customer faster and more natural access to personalised support, while delivering an overall experience that reflects Alpha Bank’s identity,” he added.

ElevenLabs co-founder Mati Staniszewski said: “We are proud to work with Alpha Bank to provide an artificial intelligence voice assistant that delivers fast and natural customer service through a voice that faithfully reflects the bank’s identity.”

He added that the company was pleased to see ElevenAgents deployed more broadly across European banking.

Alpha Bank said the collaboration reflects its continued investment in advanced technologies, strategic acquisitions and partnerships with leading technology companies, fintech firms and customer-facing platforms.

Google is introducing a new consumer-facing feature designed to help users identify when an ad has been created or altered using artificial intelligence.

The update reflects AI’s growing role in digital advertising, where marketers increasingly use the technology to generate creative assets, stage products in different environments and reduce the cost of traditional e-commerce photography. As those capabilities expand, so do concerns about transparency, particularly when consumers cannot easily distinguish between authentic and AI-generated product images.

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Bringing More Transparency To Ad Disclosures

Google has long prohibited deceptive advertising, but until now, disclosure requirements for AI-generated or AI-edited content were largely limited to election ads. The company is now extending that transparency to mainstream consumer advertising through its My Ad Center panel, which is accessible globally from the three-dot menu or information icon on ads shown in Google Search, YouTube and Google Discover.

The panel already gives users the ability to block or report ads, understand why they are seeing a particular promotion, and learn more about the advertiser. With the new update, users will also see a section labeled “How this ad was made,” which will reveal whether AI played a role in producing the creative.

What Advertisers Need To Know

According to Google, ads created with its own generative AI advertising tools will automatically include the disclosure. For ads produced using other tools, advertisers will need to indicate whether AI was involved through a new control in the ad workflow.

Google also said it will not independently verify whether externally created ads used AI, meaning the system relies on advertiser disclosure rather than platform-side detection. In certain markets, additional labeling may be applied to comply with local regulations.

A Small Label With Big Implications

The update may appear modest, but it reflects a broader shift in how digital platforms are responding to generative AI. As AI tools become more deeply integrated into marketing workflows, disclosure is emerging as an increasingly important part of maintaining consumer trust.

For advertisers, the change introduces another transparency requirement alongside the growing use of AI in creative production. For Google, it represents another step toward balancing the adoption of generative AI with greater visibility into how advertising content is produced.

OpenAI on Thursday unveiled GPT-5.6, a new family of models that raises the stakes in an increasingly crowded artificial intelligence market.

Three Models, Three Price Points

GPT-5.6 launches with three variants: Sol, the flagship workhorse; Terra, a mid-tier option; and Luna, a lower-cost model designed to broaden access. OpenAI says the lineup is built to expand what users can do across enterprise workflows, software development and scientific research.

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Chief Executive Sam Altman has argued that the new generation is dramatically more efficient and cost-effective than earlier versions. In a recent CNBC interview, he said Sol is 54% more token efficient for AI coding tasks, underscoring the company’s push to make performance and economics its key differentiators.

A Stronger Push Into Cybersecurity

OpenAI is also making a notable claim about security: it describes GPT-5.6 as its “strongest cybersecurity model yet,” saying it achieves frontier performance while using significantly fewer tokens.

That positioning comes against a sensitive backdrop. The model’s cyber capabilities drew attention after the Trump administration reportedly sought to restrict its rollout over concerns about misuse. OpenAI says GPT-5.6 is designed to support defensive work, including threat modeling, code review and patching, as well as blue teaming, the practice of simulating attacks to expose vulnerabilities before adversaries can exploit them.

ChatGPT Work Targets The Office Stack

Alongside the model launch, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT Work, a workplace-focused tool for enterprise teams. Available on desktop, web and mobile, it is designed to assist with routine clerical tasks such as drafting documents, building spreadsheets and preparing presentations.

The move reflects a broader industry trend: AI vendors are no longer competing only on raw model capability, but on whether their products can become part of the daily operating system for knowledge workers.

Anthropic Remains The Benchmark To Beat

OpenAI’s latest release arrives amid a wave of new model announcements from rivals, including SpaceXAI and Meta. But the company’s messaging appears aimed most directly at Anthropic, which has earned a strong reputation among enterprise buyers and emerged as one of OpenAI’s most credible competitors.

To make its case, OpenAI points to the Artificial Analysis Coding Agent Index, saying GPT-5.6 outperforms Anthropic’s models across the board. The company says Sol is its “best coding model yet,” and compares it directly with Anthropic’s recently released Fable.

According to OpenAI, Sol sets a new state of the art at 80, beating Fable 5 by 2.8 points while using less than half the output tokens, taking less than half the time and costing roughly one-third less. The company says Terra performs just above Fable 5, while Luna outperforms Opus 4.8.

Pricing And Availability

GPT-5.6 is now available across ChatGPT, Codex and the OpenAI API. Pricing per million tokens is set at $5 input and $30 output for Sol, $2.50 input and $15 output for Terra, and $1 input and $6 output for Luna.

For OpenAI, the launch is not just another product update. It is a calculated attempt to reinforce its lead in frontier AI while pressing its advantage in the enterprise, coding and cybersecurity markets where the next phase of competition is likely to be won.

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.