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.
