Cyprus financial intelligence unit received 24,092 suspicious activity reports in 2025

Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus’ financial intelligence unit (FIU) received 24,092 reports concerning suspicious activities and transactions during 2025, according to an annual assessment released by the authorities. The assessment linked the sharp rise in submissions to expanding crypto-asset services and cross-border financial business.

Crypto-asset providers account for most submissions

The anti-money laundering unit, Mokas, prepared the assessment, which the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) distributed to regulated entities. It reviews reporting volumes and submission quality among businesses and professionals obliged to report suspected financial crime.

According to the assessment, crypto-asset service providers filed 20,570 reports, with investment firms contributing 980. These figures reflected the significant contribution from Cyprus-licensed businesses operating across the European area under EU rules permitting the freedom to provide services.

Domestic reporting rises by 16 per cent

The assessment recorded 1,183 submissions from domestic reporting entities, an increase of 16 per cent over 2024.

Among traditional domestic reporting entities, banks were the largest reporting group, with 597 submissions. Payment institutions filed 340, while gambling service providers contributed 136.

The figures also included 33 reports from lawyers, 32 from company service providers and 28 from accountants.

Among the most frequent indicators triggering reports, the assessment listed virtual-asset transactions, money mule use, transactions between counterparties with no relationship, internet fraud, cybercrime and suspected money laundering.

Mokas reports improvements in quality and effectiveness

Mokas said reporting had improved overall, citing better-quality and more effective submissions. It also noted that more financial intelligence was being shared with law enforcement agencies and that larger amounts of assets had been frozen through domestic investigations and cross-border cases.

The unit partly credited more focused guidance for reporting entities, education and information sessions, meetings providing support, and ongoing contact with businesses and professionals.

Mokas said this work also involved cooperation through the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing private-public partnership, with guidance tailored to the risks facing individual sectors.