“While our operational headquarters and licensed entity remain firmly rooted in Cyprus, the majority of our clients are based in continental Europe. We’ve listened to that demand: our clients want us to be where they are,” Christoph Pliessnig, Founder and CEO of Teroxx Global Group tells GOLD magazine in an interview.
He looks back in 2018, when the company was first founded, when he found himself looking to establish a digital asset management business that could offer a European legal identity and a pragmatic business mindset – both of which he found in Larnaca. Here, he describes how the company has scaled its business from the city to a bridge between the EU, the Middle East and other emerging markets.
Why did you choose to set up the business in Larnaca?
When we founded Teroxx in 2018, the digital asset landscape felt like the high seas! We were looking for a jurisdiction that could evolve alongside the sector, offering a European legal identity and a culture that matched our client's ethos. Cyprus delivered a unique combination of Mediterranean discretion and a pragmatic business mindset. This environment allowed us to build a white-glove culture that's closer to a private bank than a typical fintech startup. Larnaca, in particular, offered the strategic connectivity we needed to bridge Europe, the Middle East and emerging markets. It gave us the physical and operational foundation to focus on building a secure harbour for institutional capital, rather than chasing the next hype cycle.
Has the city met your expectations in terms of talent, infrastructure and business environment? Are there specific challenges that need to be overcome when growing a fintech company in Larnaca?
Cyprus and, by extension Larnaca, has provided a strong regulatory and operational foundation. We have successfully built settlement layers here that now process multiple billions in annual volume. The local business environment truly understands that serving international capital is a heritage, which has been vital for our growth. However, as we scale, our strategy has evolved to meet the specific needs of our user base. While our operational headquarters and licensed entity remain firmly rooted in Cyprus, the majority of our clients are based in continental Europe. We’ve listened to that demand: our clients want us to be where they are. To bridge that gap and truly act as a Pan-European player, we have successfully opened a dozen satellite offices across the continent. The primary challenge we now navigate isn't just about local infrastructure, but about maintaining that high-touch, 'relationship-led' service across multiple jurisdictions. By combining our robust Cyprus-based engine with a physical presence in major European markets, we ensure that we are meeting talent and client expectations on a truly continental scale.
What advice do you have for other international companies looking to set up offices in Larnaca or to invest in the city?
If you are thinking about Larnaca, my advice is to recognise it as a strategic gateway. Choose this city if your goal is to build long-term infrastructure, as it perfectly bridges European regulatory rigour with access to international business. Treat the local landscape as a foundation for scalable operations. The international companies that truly succeed here are those that move beyond simply setting up a nominal presence. Ultimately, Larnaca rewards businesses that actively engage with the local talent pool and authentically embrace the relationship-led culture that defines Cyprus.
How has the digital asset management industry evolved since you founded Teroxx?
In 2018, the crypto space was highly crowded, with thousands of emerging tokens and platforms that prioritised rapid transaction processing rather than security. Today, a mature ecosystem is focused on real-world applications and institutional-grade infrastructure. Digital assets have transitioned to portfolio architecture essentials. Institutional allocators are no longer questioning the fundamental legitimacy of the asset class; their primary focus is on finding fully regulated, highly capable partners to execute their strategies securely. Larnaca and Cyprus were ideal for scaling because the jurisdiction was willing to establish top-tier regulatory standards for digital assets early on. This strategic choice enabled us to perfect a regulatory blueprint that we are now scaling to international markets.
What changes do you believe are necessary to turn Larnaca into an established fintech hub? What does the future hold for the city in this sector?
The single biggest unlock for the region is aligning regulatory intent with banking reality. We have a robust, supervised framework. If policymakers, the Central Bank and the commercial banks can align to support regulated digital asset firms, it will transform the ecosystem. Eliminating this operational friction is essential for Larnaca to elevate its status from a promising location to a highly efficient, established fintech hub. If the banking bridge is successfully built, Cyprus, with Larnaca as a key operational node, will move from promising to unassailable as the most trusted EU gateway for serious digital asset business. We are entering a phase where previously isolated liquidity pools will begin to merge and seamless movement between traditional bank ledgers and public blockchains will reach institutional grade. Larnaca has the potential to be at the centre of this convergence, hosting specialised boutiques and infrastructure partners who speak both the language of traditional finance settlement and blockchain-native execution fluently.
This interview first appeared in the April edition of GOLD magazine. Click here to view it.
