The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) has awarded €1,000 in total prizes to two university students for exceptional academic research in finance and securities markets during the 2025–2026 academic year. The awards, recognizing excellence and innovation, were given to Xenia Efthymiou of the Cyprus University of Technology and Ioannis Moraitis from the University of Nicosia, each receiving €500.

Efthymiou's doctoral dissertation focused on the legacy of the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive (BRRD) in Cyprus, while Moraitis's postgraduate study analyzed AI-themed ETFs compared to actively managed mutual funds. CySEC aims to promote high-quality academic research and strengthen connections between academia and the financial sector through this long-standing initiative, which honors the memory of CySEC’s first chairman, Frixos Sorokos.

The awards were presented during university events attended by CySEC officials and family members of Sorokos. The commission continues to encourage innovative research that benefits capital markets and enhances cooperation between financial institutions and academic communities.