The European cross-border investment market experienced a sharp surge in 2024, while simultaneously confirming Cyprus’s absolute leadership as a key financial platform. According to data from the European Securities and Markets Authority, the total number of retail investors using investment services outside their home countries reached 10.5 million, up from 8 million a year earlier—a growth of 32%. Of these, around 3.6 million clients, or roughly one in every three European investors, are served by Cypriot investment firms.
This share makes Cyprus the largest base for cross-border investments in the EU and the EEA. The island hosts 79 licensed investment firms which, in 2024, accounted for roughly one third of all retail cross-border investors in Europe—far ahead of Lithuania with 2.6 million clients, Germany with 2 million, and Ireland with 939,000 clients.
Why European investors choose Cyprus
The EU cross-border investment market is now highly concentrated. Companies registered in Cyprus, Lithuania, Germany, and Ireland control about 86% of the entire market—around 9 million out of 10.5 million clients. Cyprus has emerged as the largest “magnet” for investors thanks to a combination of EU regulation, a flexible tax model, an English-language legal environment, and a well-developed infrastructure for online brokers, CFD platforms, and crypto services.
In 2024, the average investment firm in the EU served around 28,000 clients, up from 20,000 a year earlier, confirming a trend toward market consolidation and the strengthening of jurisdictions capable of rapidly scaling their business. Cyprus has been the main beneficiary of this process.
Which products dominate Cypriot platforms
Across EU cross-border services in 2024, around 1.4 million clients—about 11% of the market—traded CFDs, while nearly 1 million investors (around 7%) held crypto assets under the MiCA framework. The most widely used instrument remains equities, with 4.6 million clients, or roughly 36% of the market. A significant share of these transactions is conducted through Cypriot brokers, which traditionally specialize in online trading and international platforms.
Cyprus and investor complaints: growth, but not a crisis
Alongside rapid market growth, the number of client complaints has also increased. In 2024, ESMA recorded 10,968 complaints, up from 7,507 a year earlier—an increase of 46%. Cypriot firms are linked to around 10% of all complaints across the EU and EEA—significantly less than Germany’s roughly 45%, or Lithuania’s and Ireland’s 14% each.
In relative terms, the EU and EEA average stood at 1,015 complaints per million clients, while in some countries—such as Austria—the figure reaches 7,674 complaints per million, or 656% above the average. This indicates that despite massive transaction volumes and 3.6 million investors, Cyprus remains in a comparatively stable zone in terms of consumer complaints.
Cyprus strengthens its status as an EU financial hub
EU regulators have already confirmed that similar data will be collected again in 2026. Experts expect Cyprus to continue strengthening its position as a key jurisdiction for online investments, crypto services, and brokerage platforms—especially with the full implementation of MiCA and the ongoing digitalization of the EU financial market.
In effect, Cyprus is no longer just a participant in the market—it has become its structural core, through which a significant share of European retail investments flows.
Financial services are becoming one of the key drivers of Cyprus’s economic growth. The rising number of European investors working through Cypriot firms brings new jobs, fintech development, and increased tax revenues. All this positions the island not only as a tourism destination, but also as one of the most important financial centers in the European Union. Cyprus is confidently establishing itself as the “gateway” for millions of EU retail investors.