
The Central Bank of Cyprus is a crucial institution in the country's financial system. It was established in 1963 as the Central Bank of Cyprus, with the aim of regulating and supervising the banking sector.
The Central Bank of Cyprus is headquartered in Nicosia, the capital city of Cyprus. It's responsible for implementing monetary policy and maintaining financial stability.
The bank's main objective is to ensure the stability and soundness of the financial system. It achieves this by regulating and supervising banks, as well as promoting financial inclusion and stability.
The Central Bank of Cyprus is an independent institution, responsible for its own decisions and actions.
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History of the Central Bank
The Central Bank of Cyprus has its roots in the British Colonial Government of Cyprus, which established a Cyprus Currency Board in 1927. This was a result of the British Empire's unilateral annexation of Cyprus in 1914.
The Currency Board was initially led by the Accountant General, also known as the Auditor General, of the Government of Cyprus. The Board could issue notes and coins, initially denominated in the Cypriot pound, shillings, and piastres.
The local currency was pegged to the pound sterling, with the requirement that for every Cyprus pound issued, one pound sterling had to be deposited with the Crown Agents in London. This meant the Bank of England in London still held ultimate fiscal control.
With independence from Britain in 1960, the President and Vice-President of Cyprus were given the right to establish a new central bank, called the 'Issuing Bank'. This was a result of Article 118 of the Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus.
The Issuing Bank was essentially a continuation of the former colonial Currency Board, but with the right to convert into a Central Bank if the Republic chose to do so. This decision was taken in 1963.
The Central Bank of Cyprus was officially established in 1963, replacing the Issuing Bank. Following Cyprus's accession to the European Union in 2004, the Central Bank of Cyprus became a member of the Eurozone group of central banks in 2008.
The Central Bank of Cyprus is now responsible for supervising financial institutions in Cyprus, with significant supervised entities supervised by the European Central Bank.
Governance and Leadership

The Central Bank of Cyprus has a clear governance structure in place, which has been established since 1963. The Governor of the Central Bank is the highest official and is appointed by the President of the Republic.
The Governor serves a term of five years, which can be renewable. The position was established when the Central Bank was founded in 1963.
The Governor chairs the meetings of the Central Bank's Governing Council and Board of Directors. This person is also a member of the Governing Board of the European Central Bank.
The Central Bank of Cyprus has had several Governors throughout its history. Here is a list of the Governors since 1963:
- Charis Gavrielides (July 1963 – October 1965)
- Christakis Stephani (October 1965 – April 1982)
- Afxentis Afxentiou (May 1982 – April 2002)
- Christodoulos Christodoulou (May 2002 – May 2007)
- Athanasios Orphanides (May 2007 – May 2012)
- Panicos O. Demetriades (May 2012 – April 2014)
- Chrystalla Georghadji (April 2014 – April 2019)
- Constantinos Herodotou (April 2019 – April 2024)
Bank Information
The Central Bank of Cyprus has a unique SWIFT code, which is CBCYCY2NACC. This code is used for international transactions and is a crucial piece of information for anyone dealing with the bank.
The bank's SWIFT code can be broken down into two parts: the 8-character code, which is CBCYCY2N, and the branch code, which is ACC. This helps to ensure that transactions are processed correctly and efficiently.

The Central Bank of Cyprus is located in Nicosia, the capital city of Cyprus. This is a key piece of information for anyone visiting the bank or sending money to an account held there.
Here is a summary of the bank's information:
Objectives and Functions
The Central Bank of Cyprus is primarily focused on ensuring a safe and stable financial system that preserves public confidence and fosters economic stability and growth. This objective is achieved by maintaining an effective mechanism of bank regulation and supervision.
To minimize systemic risk and preserve the stability of the banking system, the Central Bank grants a licence to carry on Banking Business and exercises supervision. The main goal of supervision is to retain public confidence and protect depositors.
The Central Bank of Cyprus is guided by the recommendations of the Basle Committee on banking supervision and the EU Directives on banking regulation. This ensures that the bank stays up-to-date with new developments and changing circumstances.
Supervision is exercised through both off-site monitoring and on-site examination. Off-site monitoring involves banks submitting periodic returns that cover various aspects of banking operations.
Any areas of concern revealed through the returns are promptly taken up with the bank involved for remedial action.
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