Cypriot web browser sees 250% jump in users in March

The Cyprus-based web browser Aloha Browser saw a 250 per cent jump in users in March, according to a Reuters on Wednesday.

The stark increase in numbers came after the European Union introduced legislation forcing internet browsers to make it easier for users to switch to rivals.

The law, known as the Digital Markets Act, came into effect on March 7, and forces big tech companies to offer mobile users the option to select from a list of available web browsers on a “choice screen”.

Historically, Google Chrome and Apple’s in-house browser Safari have been dominant in the global market, as they come as default on most mobile devices.

Apple now shows up to 11 browsers alongside Safari on its choice screens, which are curated for each of the EU’s 27 member states. Those screens will be updated once a year.

Cyprus-based Aloha Browser was founded in 2016, and markets itself as a “privacy-focused alternative” to its mainstream competition.

According to Reuters, the browser averages 10 million monthly users and earns money through paid subscriptions rather than the traditional method of selling advertising space by tracking users.

Aloha Browser’s CEO Andrew Frost Moroz spoke to Reuters, saying “before, the EU was our number four market. Now, it is our number two.”