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The Regulation of the use of Cryptocurrencies is Necessary

Written by Prospectacy Business Services Team on January 27, 2022. Posted in Articles.

Vasilis Zertalis – CEO of Prospectacy LTD

Cryptocurrencies have infiltrated our financial vocabulary, leading even citizens who had never dealt with investments to devote part of their income to them. According to data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), there are currently more than 8,000 active cryptocurrencies, with a total of $2.5 trillion in cryptocurrencies and coins being traded.

The first decentralized cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, was created in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto, a pseudonym believed to correspond to an anonymous developer or group of people. It began as a libertarian vision, aiming to free the transfer of value and wealth from the control of banks and governments, giving control back to citizens. This is based on the fact that the issuance of cryptocurrencies takes place without the intervention of any central bank. The main advantage of digital currency technology is that it is decentralized – since it is not controlled by any central institution – and immutable, since all transactions are recorded on the blockchain and cannot be tampered with.

However, the absence of a regulatory framework around the operation of cryptocurrencies undermines their use, making them susceptible to large and frequent changes in their value. Additionally, due to their anonymous and unregulated nature, digital currencies can be used to finance illegal activities.

Cryptocurrencies are created by computers with complex mathematical equations, a process known as mining. A network of computers around the world monitors transactions, using virtual addresses, hiding the identities of those engaged in the transactions. Therefore, even if the police manage to identify any criminal activities behind the transactions, they have no way to freeze the accounts, as they would in a normal banking system.

The IMF, in its Global Financial Stability Report , states that the more the use of cryptocurrencies increases, the more likely they are to cause negative effects on the global economy.

At the same time, however, he points out that the very technology that makes possible the existence of digital currencies also offers the necessary tools to monitor, detect and process illegal transactions for which they are used. In order to deal with these phenomena, it is necessary to conclude cross-border cooperation between governments for the regulation of cryptocurrencies. At present, the absence of a common commitment by states for an international regulatory framework that will govern the smooth and legal operation of cryptocurrencies, leads some states to individual actions aimed at obtaining short-term interest.

Cryptocurrencies are here to stay. However, as with any new technology, the proper mechanisms to regulate them must also be created. When the appropriate institutional framework is in place and their high volatility is limited, digital currencies will establish themselves as an alternative medium of exchange.

published by inbusinessnews

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Key to Sustainable Development is Headquarters

Written by Prospectacy Business Services Team on November 5, 2021. Posted in Articles.

Vasilis Zertalis – CEO of Prospectacy LTD

One of the most important achievements of Cyprus in recent years is its establishment as an attractive destination for headquarters of companies from abroad. Organizations with huge, by Cypriot data, turnover and displacement, such as Wargaming, eToro, NCR, 3CX, AMDOCS and UTX, among others, have chosen Cyprus as their corporate base. This is a development that brought to our country important know-how, thousands of jobs and provided significant support to the economy in the midst of crises.

Many companies prefer Cyprus to set up their headquarters, because it has comparative advantages over larger countries, in terms of its competitiveness as a financial center but also as a destination for attracting talent and capital.

First of all, the country has a wide network of double taxation agreements that is constantly expanding, as well as an attractive tax regime. At the same time, it provides high-quality and low-cost support services, while an important advantage is its geographical location, operating as a regional center with access to developed markets, both in Europe and the Middle East. At the same time, it offers a high level of quality of life, one of the lowest crime rates in the EU, mild weather conditions and qualified human resources.

The government’s recent announcement on the new investment attraction program strengthens the competitiveness of Cyprus, while it is expected that it will also contribute to the redefining of the country’s development model, with a view to sustainable development. In particular, the new investment attraction program focuses on facilitating the relocation procedures of foreign companies, expanding the tax incentives offered to foreign companies, as well as providing employment permits for personnel from third countries working in international companies.

At the same time, it focuses on a sector that is emerging as an important pillar of our economy, that of higher education. Strengthening private and public higher education institutions will contribute to the development of the country’s workforce, and will attract researchers, students and resources from abroad, while effectively linking education to the labor market, which will lead to to the further reduction of unemployment.

In a highly competitive environment, attracting foreign investment remains key to the recovery of the economy and a necessary element for the creation of a sustainable development model. In this direction, it is necessary to emphasize the promotion of Cyprus as an attractive destination for attracting quality investments in various sectors of the economy, such as technology, education and research, health, renewable energy sources, financial and professional services, shipping, sports and the cultural industry. The extraction of know-how and capital in different sectors will lead to the growth and diversification of the productive base of the economy, creating quality jobs for the local population.

To achieve these goals, the private sector and the State must work together to promote the country abroad and highlight its comparative advantages through the organization of international conferences and participation in financial forums.

At the same time, dealing with the bureaucracy, which can be achieved in combination with the digital transformation of the state, as well as the reform of the Judiciary with the aim of speeding up and simplifying the procedures, is of major importance for strengthening the country’s competitiveness.

With flexibility and telecommuting now taking on a central role in the labor market, headquartering and attracting foreign investment are not just additional advantages for our country’s economy, but its components, which ensure stability and sustainable its development.

published by inbusinessnews

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The Future of Wealth Management

Written by Prospectacy Business Services Team on December 17, 2019. Posted in Prospectacy Business Blog.

Wealth management is a complex industry that is currently facing numerous trends, challenges and disruptions,
including technological advancements, ultra-high-net-worth individuals and growing compliance costs.
New technologies, fee structures and the entry of bigtechs are influencing the industry like never before. As the
industry evolves, wealth managers must stay ahead of the curve in order to remain attractive to their customers.
The key to the success of any wealth management firm lies in building trust and maintaining long-standing
relationships. With more solutions than ever before, this is becoming increasingly challenging, particularly in a
world where customers are setting the pace and engaging in multiple ways through technology.

Wealth Management: Preparing for the Future

Over the next few years, the speed of change in the wealth management industry is likely to continue to increase.
As millennials begin to gain control over the world’s most significant assets, the wealth management industry
needs to be fully prepared to appeal to this new breed of investor and cater to their every need.

Technology Enablement

Multichannel communication is essential for attracting, retaining and serving clients – as well as the generations
that follow.

To remain competitive, wealth managers must have access to state-of-the-art digital tools in order to organise,
analyse and use customer data in the most seamless way possible. Wealth managers must also be able to offer
an intuitive and multifaceted mobile experience, as well as access to websites, apps and communities.
The process of signing up new accounts or processes must be easy and fast, while information must be
accessible anytime and from any device. Further, they must have the technological capabilities to refine the client
experience and help customers stay informed about their investments.

Personalisation

A new trend in personalisation is being experienced thanks to ever-increasing customer expectations combined
with technological capabilities and solutions.

According to Capgemini’s World Wealth Report, 86% of high-net-worth clients want personalised offerings. As
such, as the industry evolves, role of the wealth manager must be to maintain and nurture individual relationships
while offering expert guidance, long-term financial planning strategies and tailor-made investment solutions.
Wealth managers will need to offer an effortless service, not just on a remote level but on a personal level too. The
entire human experience – throughout the customer’s lifecycle– will need to be exceptional in order for the
customer to remain loyal.

Thanks to evolutions in analytics, data gathering, decision-making and delivery, wealth managers will be able to
create the most personalised, contextualised and dynamic experience for the individual client.

Sustainable Investment

Finally, sustainable investment, which uses environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, is becoming
increasingly prominent amongst socially and environmentally-conscious investors (particularly millennials). As
such, wealth management firms will need to pay close attention to sustainable investments that integrate ESG
elements if they wish to remain competitive and attractive to modern investors.

At Prospectacy, our main objective is to deliver the best possible wealth management services
that match your corporate or individual needs. By following the global trends, and continuously
updating our technological infrastructure, we strive to maintain the highest standards of wealth
management services.

Prospectacy’s wealth management services include (but are certainly not limited to):

Investment advice
Portfolio management
International taxation and compliance support

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Does Negative Interest rate limit the Economic Balance?

Written by Prospectacy Business Services Team on December 16, 2019. Posted in Prospectacy Business Blog.

Since the global economic crisis of 2008, the developed world has observed an unexpected period of low-interest rates. Interest rates are directed by a nation’s or a union’s central bank and are considered as a primary tool of monetary policy, that encourages employment, investments and therefore inflation levels.

Economists call a balanced interest rate price, a neutral interest rate. This ideal rate is effective when and if the economy is developing normally and the inflation rate is stable. Over the past decade, however, this neutral interest rate has been steadily declining especially within countries of the globe considered developed. This decline in interest rates can be attributed both to the level of demand and to the supply offered in this economic structure.

On the side of supply,a significant number of investors exist who have savings, and would like to invest these savings safely for the long term. From a demographic point of view, most societies are aging and prefer to accrue money in order to receive interest after retirement.

On the side of demand, governments, corporations, and individuals exist who need cash loans. With the onset of the technological boom in the 21st century, it is obvious that large corporations such as Microsoft, Google, Facebook and Apple, which do not have huge investments in fixed assets, do not need large loans in order to receive additional income, so the demand for capital loans declines.

Governments seek to pursue an aggressive borrowing policy during recessions, but the last recession has been around for a long time. As a result, a decrease in demand for loans and an increase in demand for savings (loans) is seen. Thus, allowing no balance between supply and demand.

In the past, central banks set neutral interest rates based on how the economy behaved and the active indicators of supply and demand. Central banks widely used two indicators in order to decide how fair the neutral interest rate was – the level of unemployment and inflation.

If the inflation rate was too high, the aim was to reduce the demand for loans by raising interest rates. If unemployment was high, interest rates were decreased to encourage a credit system and help increase spending and create new jobs.

This has worked over the years, yet a predicament arises – What happens if interest rates are already negative, and the Central Bank needs to lower them further in order to stimulate the economy and promote even greater volumes of borrowing? This will mean that lenders must issue loans at negative rates and receive negative returns on their investments.

Governments all over the world are increasingly involved in creating monetary policy and the role of the Central Banks as legislators of monetary policy is decreasing. If a new recession occurs, the Central Bank is limited in its selection of tools to maintain a balance in the economy. If negative rates remain, does this also limit economic balance?

Casino and Gambling Industry in Cyprus

Written by Prospectacy Business Services Team on February 21, 2018. Posted in Prospectacy Business Blog.

Starting with an industry overview, casino itself is supposed to be a great opportunity for the market. Gambling industry in Cyprus attracts different levels of society because of its freedom to spend as little money as you want. Yet, what is the secret of online gambling success and its influence on the economy? There are some important issues concerning this. For a lot of people, online gambling brings some kind of freedom, where they are not limited to a certain amount of money and rules that real casinos have. It is safe to say that casino gaming license has put infrastructure in place to create a hospitable environment for the industry. Besides, the laws here grant to the gambling service providers the exclusive right to manage and control gambling services with high profits. On these issues, online gambling positively results on the economy bringing online gambling to a new level. Hence, online gambling industry has experienced a major shift in its key markets in Cyprus in the recent years. More specifically, the five-year period has signaled a shift of revenue growth in the gambling market.

At least, the online casino business requires an online gambling license which is an indicator of simplicity in business and security of the gaming software. Cyprus gaming industry is the best opportunity to network and drive the businesses forward through focused content and dynamic exhibitions. Moreover, Cyprus is a route to become the hub for the offline and online gaming industries. The gaming industry in Cyprus features interactive networking events, an extensive educational program, industry-specific conference streams and an impressive trade show floor. Also, Cyprus has become a regional gaming centre that licensed online casino gaming and betting exchanges. Due to this, today lots of people gamble millions of dollars. Coming up again to the question of industry enhancement and benefits, it can be constantly proven that up-to-date technology of online gambling allows entertainment to fit your rhythm and routine, and even more, they are a new option for the industry in Cyprus and an influential effect on the global economy. Online gambling saves a lot of time as you get your personal mobile casino in your pocket. Another huge advantage of online gambling is the ability to play against many opponents at one time, getting the results right away.

Actually, while new markets are opening up they are to acquire new sources of revenue and increasingly influence industry operators. The casino industry has the potential to create numerous jobs considering the number of individuals required. One of the most important factors is the economy beneficial laws which provide its strict regulation, control and supervision of the operation of betting shops used for the provision of gambling services, as well as for the strict regulation of the organization, operation and provision of gambling services. Nevertheless, the goals of gambling industry in Cyprus focus on releasing the summit of participation in gambling activities and consequently identifying the level of risk and drawbacks among the public.