Is Crypto Legal in Cyprus?

Transferable securities: Shares, bonds, other forms of securitised debt, and other instruments giving a right to acquire or dispose of transferable securities.

Units in collective investment undertakings.

Options, futures, swaps, forward rate agreements, and any other derivative contracts relating to securities, currencies, interest rates or yields, emission allowances or other indices or financial indicators, which may be settled physically or in cash.

Derivative instruments for the transfer of credit risk.

Derivatives relating to commodities that can be physically settled or cash settled are subject to regulatory restrictions in Cyprus, including permanent leverage caps for retail clients (e.g., 10:1 for non-major commodities under CySEC's DI87-09).

Investment screening in Cyprus now focuses on national security and public order risks, not on the traditional expectation of profit from the efforts of others.

Token transferability and divisibility are technically permitted under Cyprus law but now subject to mandatory data reporting under the EU MiCA Travel Rule, and firms must be licensed, so transferability is no longer 'free' in the sense of being unrestricted or anonymous.

Security Tokens: These are tokens explicitly designed to represent traditional financial instruments, such as:

Equity Tokens: Tokens that grant ownership rights in a company, similar to shares, often conferring voting rights, dividend entitlements, or a share in profits.

Debt Tokens: Tokens representing a loan or debt, similar to bonds, entitling the holder to interest payments and principal repayment.

Asset-backed Tokens: Tokens representing a claim on underlying physical assets (e.g., real estate, commodities) or financial assets (e.g., fund units), where the holder expects a return.

Tokens representing units in collective investment undertakings.

Certain Derivatives on Crypto-Assets: If structured in a way that aligns with the MiFID II definitions of derivative contracts (e.g., options, futures, swaps on cryptocurrencies).

Utility Tokens: Tokens designed solely to provide access to a specific product or service within a platform or network, without conveying investment rights or an expectation of profit from the efforts of others. However, if their primary purpose or marketing shifts to investment, they could be reclassified.

Payment/Exchange Tokens (Cryptocurrencies): Tokens intended to function as a medium of exchange, unit of account, or store of value (e.g., Bitcoin, Ether). CySEC, in line with the EU approach, generally views these as "crypto-assets" but not "financial instruments" unless they display characteristics that qualify them as such (e.g., if Ether's original ICO was assessed under MiFID II principles, it might have been treated differently due to the investment expectation). These are primarily regulated under Anti-Money Laundering (AML) laws.

E-Money Tokens (EMTs) in Cyprus are now primarily defined and regulated under the MiCA Regulation, not solely under the Electronic Money Directive 2009/110/EC as transposed. The Central Bank of Cyprus has also issued a no-action letter in February 2026 affecting the regulatory treatment of these tokens. They remain regulated as e-money, but the legal framework has shifted to MiCA and the CBC's current position may pause or alter certain requirements.

Public offerings of transferable securities in Cyprus generally require the publication of a prospectus approved by CySEC, in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129, as amended by the EU Listing Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/2809) effective from 5 June 2026, which will modify the harmonised requirements for format, content, and approval.

Exemptions: The Prospectus Regulation provides for certain exemptions from the prospectus requirement, including:

Offers in Cyprus are not exclusively to legally defined 'qualified investors'; various investment programs, such as those for Permanent Residency, are available to a broader range of individuals and their families who meet specific financial thresholds and other stipulated conditions.

Offers addressed to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons per Member State, other than qualified investors, may qualify as an exemption under Cyprus law, not as a general rule.

The granting of licenses and review of investment offers in Cyprus is subject to mandatory screening procedures under specific national legislation (e.g., Foreign Direct Investment Screening Law) which supersede simple financial thresholds regarding total consideration.

Offers where the denomination per unit is at least €100,000.

Offers of non-equity securities issued by a Member State or local authority.

Issuer Authorisation: The issuer of the security token itself typically does not need to be authorised by CySEC unless it is also engaging in MiFID II regulated activities, such as providing investment advice, operating a trading platform, or managing portfolios of these security tokens. In such cases, the entity would need to be authorised as a Cyprus Investment Firm (CIF).

Issuers of non-security crypto-assets and firms providing services related to them (e.g., exchange, custody, transfer, portfolio management, advice) must register with CySEC as Crypto Asset Service Providers (CASPs) under the Law for the Prevention and Suppression of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (L.188(I)/2007), as amended by L.13(I)/2021. This registration focuses primarily on AML/CFT compliance.

Trading Venues: Secondary trading of such tokens must take place on regulated markets (RMs), multilateral trading facilities (MTFs), or organised trading facilities (OTFs) which are regulated under MiFID II and overseen by CySEC.

Post-trade transparency and transaction reporting in Cyprus are now governed by the MiFID II Review Package (MiFID III), which supersedes and reforms the previous MiFID II/MiFIR framework.

Market Abuse Rules: The Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (MAR) applies, prohibiting insider trading, market manipulation, and requiring disclosure of inside information for security tokens admitted to trading on regulated venues.

Currently, there are no specific EU-wide secondary trading rules for non-security crypto-assets. However, entities facilitating the secondary trading of such tokens in Cyprus are typically considered CASPs and must be registered with CySEC under the AML Law. The upcoming Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) Regulation will introduce comprehensive rules for crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) and issuers of non-security crypto-assets, including specific requirements for operating trading platforms, which will significantly alter this landscape.

Unauthorised CASPs: Issuing warnings or imposing administrative fines on entities offering crypto-asset services in Cyprus without proper CySEC registration under the AML Law.

AML/CFT Deficiencies: Penalising CASPs for failing to comply with their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing obligations (e.g., insufficient customer due diligence, inadequate risk assessments, poor transaction monitoring).

Misleading Marketing: Addressing misleading advertisements or promotions related to crypto-asset services.

(Often updated, search on CySEC website for "AML Directive" or "CASP Policy Statement")

A relevant link to the Legal Framework section on CASPs: https://www.cysec.gov.cy/en-GB/entities/crypto-asset-service-providers-casps/legal-framework/

Investment Services and Activities and Regulated Markets Law of 2017 (Law 87(I)/2017):

This is the national transposition of MiFID II. Finding a direct public URL for the latest consolidated version might require searching legal databases (e.g., Cyprus Bar Association, legislation portals).

An older but relevant link detailing the law: https://www.cysec.gov.cy/en-GB/legislative-framework/investment-services-law/

Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 (Future Framework):

Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC)

Role: The primary regulator responsible for supervising and registering Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) under the AML/CTF framework. It ensures compliance with AML directives, assesses the fitness and propriety of VASP management, and oversees operational requirements.

Unit for Combating Money Laundering (MOKAS)

Role: Cyprus's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), responsible for receiving, analyzing, and disseminating suspicious transaction reports (STRs) and other information regarding potential money laundering and terrorist financing activities. While not a direct regulator of VASPs, it is central to the AML/CTF ecosystem.

The Prevention and Suppression of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law of 2007 (L. 188(I)/2007), as amended.

Date: Originally enacted in 2007, but significantly amended over time, particularly in 2021, to transpose the 5th Anti-Money Laundering Directive (AMLD5) and bring VASPs under its scope. These amendments defined "Virtual Assets" and "Virtual Asset Service Providers" (VASPs) and designated CySEC as the supervisory authority.

Key Provisions: Requires VASPs to register with CySEC, implement robust AML/CTF measures (KYC, transaction monitoring, risk assessments), report suspicious activities, and adhere to internal control procedures.

CySEC Directive for the Prevention and Suppression of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Regulatory Administrative Act No. 466/2021)

Date: Issued by CySEC in June 2021.

Key Provisions: This directive provides the detailed operational requirements and guidelines for VASPs registered with CySEC. It covers:

Categorization of VASP services (e.g., exchange between virtual assets and fiat, transfer of virtual assets, safekeeping, initial coin offerings).

Specific AML/CTF obligations (customer due diligence, record-keeping, risk management, internal controls, reporting obligations).

Organizational requirements (management, capital adequacy, professional indemnity insurance).

EU Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) Regulation (EU) 2023/1114

The EU Pay Transparency Directive (Directive (EU) 2023/970), which impacts Cypriot employers, was formally adopted by the EU Council on 10 May 2023 and entered into force on 6 June 2023.

Impact: MiCA will be the overarching, harmonized regulatory framework for crypto-assets across the EU, including Cyprus. It will replace the existing national AML-driven frameworks for certain aspects and introduce comprehensive rules for crypto-asset issuance, operation, and services.

Rules concerning asset-referenced tokens (ARTs) and e-money tokens (EMTs) will begin to apply from 30 June 2024 in Cyprus, but the full applicability of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) is generally anticipated by the end of 2025.

Rules concerning other crypto-assets and crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) will apply from 30 December 2024.

Cyprus's Stance: CySEC is actively preparing for the implementation of MiCA, which will streamline the regulatory landscape and shift certain aspects from an AML-only focus to a broader prudential and market integrity framework.

Permitted and Regulated: Crypto trading and the operation of crypto exchanges (classified as VASPs) are permitted in Cyprus, provided they are properly registered and supervised by CySEC.

Registration Requirement: Any entity wishing to offer services related to virtual assets in or from Cyprus must apply for registration with CySEC as a VASP.

Compliance Obligations: Registered VASPs are subject to stringent AML/CTF requirements, including:

Customer Due Diligence (KYC): Verifying the identity of their customers.

Transaction Monitoring: Monitoring transactions for suspicious patterns.

Risk Assessments: Conducting regular risk assessments related to money laundering and terrorist financing.

Reporting: Reporting suspicious transactions to MOKAS.

Operational Requirements: Adhering to organizational, governance, and capital adequacy requirements set by CySEC.

Consumer Protection: While the current framework is heavily AML-focused, CySEC's oversight aims to instill a degree of market integrity and consumer protection through the fitness and propriety assessment of management and operational controls. MiCA will significantly enhance consumer and investor protection.

Adopted: Yes, the Travel Rule is considered adopted in Cyprus through its direct application of EU law and the integration of FATF standards into its national AML/CFT framework.

EU Level: The primary legal basis for the Travel Rule for crypto-assets across the EU, including Cyprus, is Regulation (EU) 2023/1113 on information accompanying transfers of funds and certain crypto-assets (recast Transfer of Funds Regulation - TFR 2023). This regulation repeals the previous TFR (EU) 2015/847 and is part of the EU's AML/CFT legislative package alongside the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). As an EU Regulation, it is directly applicable in all member states, including Cyprus, without requiring national transposition, though national authorities issue guidance.

Cyprus enacted AML Law 96(I)/2025 on 18 June 2025, implementing and aligning with Regulation (EU) 2023/1113 within its domestic legal framework.

The Prevention and Suppression of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law of 2000 (Law 188(I)/2007, as amended) remains the foundational national AML/CFT framework, but it has been significantly amended in 2025 as part of a major compliance overhaul that also established a National Sanctions Unit. The framework has evolved beyond the 2007 version, with ongoing updates and MONEYVAL-recognized progress.

CySEC has strengthened its anti-money laundering guidelines and introduced new risk requirements in 2026, updating the original Prevention and Suppression of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law framework.

For the EU as a whole, Regulation (EU) 2023/1113 applies from 30 December 2024.

Therefore, this is the de jure effective date for the full application of the Travel Rule for crypto-asset transfers in Cyprus as per the EU regulation. Cypriot Crypto Asset Service Providers (CASPs) must be fully compliant by this date.

No lower threshold: TFR 2023/1113 significantly amends the Travel Rule for crypto-asset transfers by eliminating the de minimis threshold. This means that for all crypto-asset transfers, regardless of amount, CASPs must obtain and verify originator and beneficiary information if they are involved in the transfer.

This removes the previous €1,000 threshold that existed for traditional wire transfers in earlier iterations of the TFR for the specific case of crypto-assets.

The TFR 2023/1113 applies to Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs) as defined under the upcoming MiCA Regulation.

In Cyprus, these entities are currently registered with the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) as Crypto Asset Service Providers (CASPs) under the Prevention and Suppression of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law.

Operating crypto exchanges in Cyprus is legal but now requires licensing under the EU's MiCA regulation via CySEC (CASP license) since December 30, 2024, and an 8% flat tax on crypto gains applies for Non-Dom residents from 2026.

Custodial wallet services in Cyprus require registration with CySEC and compliance with MiCA and AML regulations, including obtaining a license.

Entities involved in the transfer of crypto-assets on behalf of a customer are now regulated as Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs) under Cyprus law, requiring formal authorization from CySEC under the MiCA framework.

Provide other services related to crypto-assets that facilitate transfers.

CySEC previously maintained a register for Crypto Asset Services Providers, but as of 2025-2026 the regulatory framework has shifted to a MiCA authorization process, with a deadline of 27 February 2026 for existing CASPs to apply for a licence. The register itself is being superseded by the MiCA licensing regime.

Crypto-asset account number of the originator (or unique transaction identifier).

Address of the originator (or national identification number, or customer identification number, or date and place of birth).

Crypto-asset account number of the beneficiary (or unique transaction identifier).

Information Verification: CASPs must verify the accuracy of the originator information on the basis of documents or data obtained from a reliable and independent source.

Information Transmission: The required information must be transmitted with the crypto-asset transfer (or immediately after) to the beneficiary CASP, using secure and reliable communication channels. Interoperability solutions (e.g., TRP, OpenVASP, Travel Rule Universal Protocol - TRUP) are expected for efficient information exchange between CASPs.

Record Keeping: CASPs must retain the collected information for a period of five years, in line with general AML/CFT record-keeping requirements.

Sanctions Screening: CASPs are required to screen originator and beneficiary information against relevant sanctions lists.

Missing or Incomplete Information: CASPs must have policies and procedures for handling transfers with missing or incomplete information. This may include:

Restricting the availability of the crypto-assets.

Reporting suspicious activity to the Unit for Combating Money Laundering (MOKAS), Cyprus's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).

CySEC's existing directives on AML/CFT compliance for CASPs (e.g., Circular C367 and Circular C446) set the broader expectation for robust internal controls, risk assessment frameworks, and the use of appropriate technology to manage AML/CFT risks.

URL (CySEC Circulars - search for AML/CFT and CASP): CySEC Circulars

Monetary Fines: Substantial fines can be imposed. For legal persons (CASPs), fines can reach up to €5 million or 10% of their total annual turnover, whichever is higher, or even up to twice the amount of the benefit derived from the breach, if that can be determined. For individuals, fines can reach up to €1 million.

Withdrawal or Suspension of Authorization/Registration: CySEC has the power to suspend or completely withdraw a CASP's registration if serious breaches occur, effectively preventing them from operating in Cyprus.

Public Reprimands: Disciplinary measures can include public statements identifying the non-compliant entity and the nature of the breach.

Cease and Desist Orders: Orders requiring the CASP to stop specific non-compliant activities.

Referral for Criminal Prosecution: In cases involving severe breaches, particularly those linked to actual money laundering or terrorist financing, the matter can be referred to the Attorney General's Office for criminal investigation and prosecution, which may lead to imprisonment for individuals.

Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 on Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA):

June 29, 2023: MiCA entered into force.

June 30, 2024: Rules for asset-referenced tokens (ARTs) and e-money tokens (EMTs) will apply.

December 30, 2024: Rules for all other crypto-assets and CASPs (including custody providers) will apply.

CASPs offering "custody and administration of crypto-assets on behalf of clients" will require authorization as a CASP under MiCA. CySEC will be the competent authority for authorizing and supervising CASPs in Cyprus.

Existing CASPs in Cyprus will need to adapt their operations and potentially re-apply or notify for authorization under MiCA.

Article 67: CASPs providing custody services must hold crypto-assets on behalf of clients separately from their own assets. They must ensure that client crypto-assets are not used for their own account and are identifiable from the CASP's own crypto-assets.

This means dedicated accounts or mechanisms to ensure client ownership is protected, particularly in case of the CASP's insolvency.

Article 67(4): CASPs providing custody services must either have a professional indemnity insurance policy or own funds equivalent to the potential liability risks arising from their activities. The amount of such insurance or own funds must be sufficient to cover losses that may arise from negligence, errors, omissions, fraud, or operational failures. ESMA will develop regulatory technical standards (RTS) to specify the minimum monetary amount of the professional indemnity insurance or own funds.

Article 67: CASPs must establish, implement, and maintain an internal policy on safeguarding client crypto-assets, which shall include appropriate technological and organisational measures to ensure the security of the crypto-assets.

This includes robust IT systems, secure storage of cryptographic keys, access controls, cybersecurity protocols, and business continuity plans. While not explicitly naming "cold storage," the emphasis on "appropriate technological and organisational measures" for safeguarding keys and assets strongly implies that cold storage (or equivalent highly secure offline methods) will be a standard requirement for significant holdings to meet MiCA's security obligations.