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CySEC Mandates Annual Regulatory Fee Calculations For Investment Firms

Regulatory Directive Overview

The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) has issued a formal directive requiring all Cyprus Investment Firms to calculate and submit their annual regulatory fees for the previous year. In a significant move to enhance financial transparency and operational compliance, the updated form now incorporates the fee structures for 2025 and is available on the CySEC website.

Updated Submission Requirements

Firms must accurately complete the revised calculation form, specifically filling in the grey cells found in fields 1.5 through 1.7 as per the provided technical instructions. The directive mandates that each firm includes an extract from their audited financial statements clearly disclosing the total turnover for the 2025 financial year, thereby ensuring an exact fee calculation based on verified financial performance.

Compliance and Deadline

To meet the new regulatory requirements, firms are required to submit the completed and duly signed document through the official online portal available at CySEC Online Portal. The final submission must be completed within four months of the financial year’s end, setting a firm deadline of April 30, 2026. Additionally, the required fee payment must accompany the digital filing of the paperwork.

Support and Further Guidance

Firms in need of further clarification or technical support are advised to contact the accounts department via the dedicated email address provided in the directive. This step ensures that any procedural queries are addressed promptly, supporting the seamless transition to the new fee calculation process.

This structured approach underlines CySEC’s commitment to robust regulatory practices and provides a clear roadmap for investment firms striving for compliance in an evolving financial landscape.

Meta’s $18 Billion Settlement Limits State Claims Over Children’s Data

Meta’s $18 billion settlement with attorneys general from 29 U.S. states includes a provision limiting future state claims over the company’s use of children’s data for age-assurance systems.

Under the agreement, Meta must develop, train and begin testing a system to identify users under 13 within a year of the settlement taking effect. The company already uses AI-based age-detection tools, although the agreement does not require the new system to use AI.

States Agree To Limits On Future Claims

The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) generally restricts the collection and retention of personal data from children under 13. Under the settlement, the 29 state attorneys general agreed not to bring past, present or future claims under COPPA or similar state laws over the specified use of children’s data.

Meta will not be permitted to use information from users under 13 for advertising, marketing or algorithmic optimisation.

Federal Enforcement Remains Unclear

COPPA is primarily enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, which is not a party to the agreement. That leaves open the possibility of separate federal action over how Meta collects or uses children’s data.

Another issue is whether Meta can keep age-assurance data isolated from its other systems. An independent auditor will monitor compliance, but the settlement does not fully specify what data Meta can retain for training, how long it can be stored or whether derived insights can be used elsewhere.

Legal Risks Remain

Joshua Wurtzel, a partner at Schlam Stone & Dolan, said states could still pursue claims if Meta uses the data outside the settlement’s limits. Such cases could depend on how those limits are interpreted.

Peter Jackson, a data and intellectual property attorney at Greenberg Glusker, said the provision could “disincentivize future enforcement actions.”

The agreement gives Meta greater legal certainty around using children’s data for age assurance, but questions remain over federal enforcement, data retention and secondary use.

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