CySEC Withdraws HTFX (EU) License Following Voluntary Exit

Cyprus’ financial regulator has withdrawn the Cyprus Investment Firm (CIF) licence of HTFX (EU) Ltd after the company opted to exit the regulatory regime.

The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) said the decision formalises HTFX’s request to renounce its authorisation and terminates its status as a CySEC-regulated investment firm.

The withdrawal was carried out under the Investment Services and Activities and Regulated Markets Law, which allows the regulator to cancel a licence when a firm no longer intends to provide regulated investment services in or from Cyprus.

As a result, HTFX (EU) Ltd is no longer permitted to offer investment services or conduct investment activities under a CIF licence. CySEC said the firm remains subject to any outstanding legal and regulatory obligations, including client notifications and wind-down requirements linked to its former regulated activities.

Regulator Moves to Raise CIF Licensing Costs

The withdrawal comes shortly after CySEC launched a consultation proposing higher costs for operating regulated investment businesses in Cyprus.

Under the proposal, application and annual fees for CIFs, foreign branches and market operators would increase. New charges would also be introduced for material change notifications and algorithmic trading activity.

CySEC outlined a revised fee structure designed to better reflect a firm’s size, business model and turnover. The draft proposals would also remove certain outdated charges, including a separate crypto-services approval fee, following the introduction of the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework.

If adopted, the cost of obtaining a CIF licence would rise significantly. The current flat €7,000 fee for investment services would be replaced by a charge of €8,000 per investment service in most cases, and €15,000 where firms deal on their own account. Fees for services related to operating a multilateral or organised trading facility would increase to €30,000 from €25,000.