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Cyprus Proposes New Credit Scoring System And Data Sharing Reform

Cyprus Ministry of Finance has submitted a package of seven amendment bills aimed at restructuring how credit data is shared and introducing a unified credit rating system for individuals and businesses. Proposals are currently under review by the Parliamentary Committee on Finance.

Unified Credit Data Exchange Framework

Reform is part of a broader effort to modernise financial infrastructure and improve data exchange between credit institutions. Changes cover key areas including banking operations, consumer credit, mortgage agreements, credit management, finance leases and the sale of credit facilities. This initiative is also linked to the Recovery and Resilience Plan, aligning financial sector reforms with wider economic policy.

Advanced Credit Rating Mechanism

A central element of the proposal is the creation of a single credit score for borrowers. The system will use financial data from the past 24 to 36 months to assess the likelihood of default over the following 12 months. This approach is expected to improve lending decisions and support a gradual reduction in non-performing loans.

Empowering Regulatory Oversight And Data Security

Oversight will be assigned to the Central Bank, which will set operational rules, monitor compliance and impose penalties where needed. The framework also includes provisions on data protection and banking confidentiality, developed in coordination with the Office of the Commissioner for Personal Data Protection.

Structured Data Submission And Access Controls

Proposed legislation defines which entities must submit data and which can access it, introducing a tiered system based on operational needs. Participants will include banks, credit management companies and finance lease providers, all operating under defined conditions.

Reforms aim to simplify existing regulations and reduce overlaps between current laws, as Cyprus moves to modernise its credit system. Lawmakers are expected to review the package ahead of a vote before Parliament dissolves ahead of elections.

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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