CySEC Steps Up AML Consultations As EU Rules Tighten

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

February 17, 2026

Regulatory Shift In Focus

The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) has issued a new circular informing regulated entities about recently launched public consultations by the Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA). The notice applies to a wide range of market participants, including Cyprus investment firms, administrative service providers, UCITS management companies, alternative investment fund managers and crypto-asset service providers, highlighting a notable shift in the supervisory landscape.

Consultations On Draft Regulatory Technical Standards

AMLA has opened public consultations on draft Regulatory Technical Standards prepared under the European Union’s updated anti-money-laundering framework. The proposals focus on several core areas:

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Business relationships: Draft standards under Article 19(9) set out criteria for establishing and maintaining business relationships, including rules for occasional and linked transactions and the introduction of lower reporting thresholds.
Customer due diligence: Under Article 28(1), the standards provide detailed guidance on customer identification and verification procedures, aiming to strengthen transparency during client onboarding.
Pecuniary sanctions and enforcement: Draft provisions under Article 53(10) address the handling of breaches, administrative penalties, and periodic penalty payments, reinforcing the enforcement architecture introduced by AMLD6.

Timelines And Participation

Clear deadlines have been set for stakeholder feedback. Comments on proposals concerning business relationships and customer due diligence are due by 8 May 2026, while responses related to enforcement measures must be submitted by 9 March 2026. An online public hearing dedicated to business relationships and due-diligence requirements is scheduled for 24 March 2026, with additional logistical details to be announced by AMLA.

Broad Implications And Strategic Developments

AMLA is encouraging participation from both financial and non-financial stakeholders, marking a more inclusive approach than earlier consultations led by European supervisory bodies. The authority stresses that early engagement will be particularly important for refining verification procedures, adjusting transaction-monitoring thresholds and ensuring smooth alignment with the evolving EU enforcement regime.

A Forward-Looking Governance Framework

In parallel, AMLA has unveiled its first multi-year strategic plan for 2026–2028, outlining the transition from a start-up phase to full operational capacity. The roadmap includes completion of the EU Single Rulebook, stronger supervisory convergence among member states, deeper cooperation between Financial Intelligence Units and a significant expansion of internal capacity, with staffing expected to grow from about 120 employees in late 2025 to more than 430 by the end of 2027

Conclusion

CySEC’s circular, together with AMLA’s strategic direction, points to a comprehensive strengthening of the EU anti-money-laundering framework. For Cyprus-based regulated entities, participation in these consultations represents both a compliance responsibility and a practical opportunity to help shape the standards that will guide future operational and reporting practices across the financial sector.

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Meta’s Muse Is Outpacing ChatGPT In Early Mobile Adoption, New Data Suggests

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 22, 2026

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.

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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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