The position that " resilience alone is not enough and that financial institutions are now called upon to be flexible, innovative and purpose-driven" was expressed by the Managing Director of Logicom Solutions, Chrysostomos Kritiotis, during his opening remarks at the 13th Banking, Payments & FinΤech Forum and EXPO.
Welcoming the participants to the conference presented by Logicom Solutions, Kritiotis underlined the importance of dialogue during a period in which the banking and financial sector is called upon to balance between stability and transformation.
Referring to the broader European environment, he noted that, despite geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, the European banking system and the Cypriot banking sector have demonstrated resilience and future orientation. As he stated, the recent results of the European stress tests confirm that banks enter 2026 with strong capital and liquidity bases, capable of absorbing shocks and supporting the real economy.
At the macroeconomic level, Kritiotis pointed out that the ECB's forecasts show a de-escalation of inflation towards the 2% target and moderate growth, supported by resilient labor markets and investment at the European level, shaping a more predictable monetary environment, without however reducing the need for constant vigilance.
Focusing on Cyprus, he spoke of a particularly encouraging picture, with an increase in deposits and historically high levels of lending activity, data that – as he said – reflects the restoration of household and business confidence. At the same time, he noted that non-performing loans have decreased to historically low levels, while capital and liquidity reserves remain significantly above European limits.
He made particular reference to the developments of 2025, characterising them as pivotal for the strategic restructuring and consolidation of the banking sector, through concentration and repositioning moves that enhance scale, operational efficiency and long-term sustainability. As he noted, the simultaneous expansion of business models, with an emphasis on insurance activities, contributes to the diversification of revenues and the provision of more integrated financial solutions.
In closing, Chrysostomos Kritiotis emphasised that the financial ecosystem now operates in an environment of constant change, where the challenges of technological acceleration, regulatory reform and increasing competition require banks, payment institutions and fintechs to move beyond simple resilience, adopting strategies that combine flexibility, innovation and clear strategic orientation.
(Source: InBusinessNews)
