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El Salvador: crypto & digital assets regulation

Regulated

CNAD regulates digital asset issuance; Bitcoin legal tender; no specific exchange license

Lead regulator
Comisión Nacional de Activos Digitales (CNAD)
Also involved
SVOR (Securities oversight) · Superintendencia del Sistema Financiero (Banking/AML) · BCR (Monetary policy)
Core law
Ley Reguladora de los Activos Digitales (2021)
Entry capital
USD 100,000 (Digital Asset Issuer)
Approval timeline
3-6 months for issuer registration
Customer assets
Issuer must use qualified custodians; no specific segregation rule cited
Data protection
Ley de Protección de Datos Personales (2023) · Autoridad de Protección de Datos
Sandbox
No

El Salvador has established a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets under the CNAD. The primary focus of the current regime is the issuance of digital assets (debt, income, equity tokens), which requires registration with the CNAD and approval from the Superintendence of the Value of Securities (SVOR). While Bitcoin is legal tender, the regulatory infrastructure for retail exchanges and custody is less defined than for issuers, relying on general financial laws and AML standards.

Which licence do you need?

Your activityRequirementCapitalTimelineAuthority
Exchange / trading platformUncertainverify with regulator

No specific exchange license; general financial entity rules may apply

———
Custody of client assetsUncertainverify with regulator

Issuers must use qualified custodians; standalone custody license undefined

———
Token issuance / public offeringLicenceDigital Asset Issuer Registration[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][5][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73]

Requires CNAD registration and SVOR approval for public offerings

USD 100,0003-6 monthsCNAD
Broker-dealer / OTC deskUncertainverify with regulator

Facilitators like Bitfinex Securities operate under issuer framework

———
Stablecoin issuanceUncertainverify with regulator

No specific stablecoin regime; treated as digital asset if issued

———
Crypto payments acceptanceUncertainverify with regulator

Bitcoin is legal tender; payment service provider license unclear

———
Mining / staking servicesUnregulated

No specific regulation for mining or staking services

———
Advisory / portfolio managementUncertainverify with regulator

No specific advisory license; general financial advice rules may apply

———

New — what changed recently

  • 2026-06-23CNAD Public Offering Notices — Continued active approval of diverse digital asset issuances including debt and income tokens.[1][2]
  • 2025-11-24NexBridge USTBL Launch — First regulated public offering of tokenized US Treasury bonds in El Salvador.[68][69][70][71][72][73]
  • 2025-01-14CNAD Annual Report 2023-2024 — CNAD reported successful defense in GAFILAT evaluation and global ranking for crypto oversight.[66][67]

Market-entry checklist

  1. 1Register as Digital Asset IssuerApply to CNAD for registration as a Digital Asset Issuer (EAD) with USD 100,000 capital.
  2. 2Secure SVOR ApprovalObtain approval from the Superintendence of the Value of Securities for any public offering.
  3. 3Draft Offering DocumentPrepare a detailed information document for the digital asset, including risk factors and underlying assets.
  4. 4Engage Qualified CustodianPartner with a CNAD-qualified custodian to hold investor assets and manage token distribution.
  5. 5Implement AML/KYCAdhere to BCR and SSF technical standards for sophisticated investor qualification and AML compliance.

Sources

  1. Public Offering Notice for AZULE1 Digital Income Token by Virgen de Lourdes · 2026-06-23
  2. Public Offering Notice $AZULE1 · 2026-06-23
  3. Public Offering Notice for Digital Assets - Leasing Atlantida June 2026 · 2026-06-22
  4. Notice of Public Offering of Digital Assets Leasing Atlántida June 2026 · 2026-06-22
  5. 20260618 Habilitation of Fourth Trading Tranche · 2026-06-19
  6. T02 Notice of Public Offering TKNBIES1 · 2026-06-18
  7. T04 NOTICE OF PUBLIC OFFER TKNBIES1 · 2026-06-18
  8. T03 Public Offer Notice TKNBIES1 · 2026-06-18
  9. Public Offer Notice for Digital Assets - OPPORTUNITY · 2026-05-26
  10. Notice of Public Offering of Digital Assets - Opportunity Token · 2026-05-26
  11. Public Offering Notice for Digital Asset $DSRE01 by CONSTRU-SERVICES, S.A. de C.V. · 2026-05-26
  12. Notice of Commencement of Public Offering of DA Series Tokens · 2026-05-25
  13. Notice of Public Offering of Digital Assets: Debt Token EBONVD by Velocity Investment · 2026-05-19
  14. Public Offering Notice for Digital Assets - Debt Token (1) · 2026-05-19
  15. Notice of Public Offering of Digital Assets by Leasing Atlántida, S.A. · 2026-04-28
  16. Public Offering Notice for Digital Assets - Leasing Atlántida · 2026-04-28
  17. Public Offering Notice of Digital Asset $PMARISCO 1 by GRUPO CS, S.A.S. DE C.V. · 2026-04-23
  18. Public Offer Notice for Digital Assets $PMARISCO1 · 2026-04-23
  19. Authorization Notice Third Tranche of Digital Asset Offering · 2026-04-21
  20. Public Offering Notice for Digital Assets - Debt Token EBONVD · 2026-04-21
  21. Notice of Public Offering of Digital Assets: Debt Token EBONVD by Velocity Investment · 2026-04-21
  22. 20260417 Notice of Activation Phase Three · 2026-04-21
  23. Notice of Public Offering of Digital Assets BAES-BRIKO by PROYECTOS BRIKO, S.A. de C.V. · 2026-04-10
  24. Public Offer Notice for BAES-BRIKO Digital Assets · 2026-04-10
  25. Public Offering Notice for BAES-NXX Digital Assets · 2026-03-27
  26. Notice of Public Offering of Digital Assets by Inversiones Globales Estratégicas · 2026-03-27
  27. Public Offer Notice for Digital Assets - Costa Dorada ECDORP · 2026-03-23
  28. Notice of Public Offering of Digital Assets by Desarrolladora Costa Dorada · 2026-03-23
  29. SVOR Notice of Placement - English · 2026-03-18
  30. RICORP Tranche 1 Placement Notice · 2026-03-18
  31. SVOR Placement Notice - Spanish · 2026-03-18
  32. Notice of Public Offering of Digital Assets Income Token EBONVP by Velocity Investment · 2026-02-20
  33. NOTICE OF PUBLIC OFFERING OF DIGITAL ASSETS - EBONVP INCOME TOKEN · 2026-02-20
  34. Public Offering Notice for THKN1 Digital Assets by Tokenización SAFE 1 · 2026-02-19
  35. Public Offering Notice - THKN1 Digital Assets · 2026-02-19
  36. Digital Asset Public Offering Notice · 2026-02-04
  37. Notice of Public Offering of Digital Assets by ABACO TECHNOLOGIES · 2026-02-04
  38. Public Offer Announcement: CADEJO BREWING COMPANY · 2026-01-28
  39. Notice of Launch of Public Offering · 2026-01-26
  40. Notice of Public Offering · 2026-01-26
  41. Notice of Public Offering of Digital Assets by Desarrolladora Costa Dorada · 2025-11-24
  42. Notice of Public Offering of Digital Assets IKN1 - ES · 2025-11-21
  43. Public Digital Assets Offering Notice for IKN1 Token by Smart Assets · 2025-11-21
  44. NOTICE OF PUBLIC OFFERING OF DIGITAL ASSETS-ALDT001 · 2025-10-22
  45. Public Offering Notice for Second Tranche of ALDT001 Tokens · 2025-10-22
  46. Public Offering Announcement - $JAGUEY128 vF · 2025-10-15
  47. Notice of Public Offering for $JAGUEY128 Revenue Token · 2025-10-15
  48. Notice of Public Offering - MNKY2 & MNKY3 · 2025-09-18
  49. Notice of Public Offering of Digital Assets MNKY2 and MNKY3 by Arrendadora GM · 2025-09-18
  50. Public Offering Notice - Leasing Atlántida · 2025-09-12
  51. Notice of Public Offering of Digital Assets - Leasing Atlántida · 2025-09-12
  52. Public Offering Notice for $1QBEC Digital Assets · 2025-09-01
  53. Public Offering Announcement for $1QBEC Income Token by Quebec Inversiones S.A. de C.V. · 2025-09-01
  54. Notice of Public Offering - $1QBEC - SEP3 · 2025-08-27
  55. Public Offering Announcement for $1QBEC Income Token by Quebec Inversiones · 2025-08-27
  56. Public Offering Announcement for Income Token $CEDRO1 by Inversiones El Cedro · 2025-08-21
  57. Notice of Public Offering of Digital Assets - $CEDRO1 · 2025-08-21
  58. PRM1 Public Offering Announcement · 2025-08-08
  59. Public Offering Announcement HSGR1 · 2025-06-30
  60. Public Offering Announcement HSGR1 · 2025-06-30
  61. Notice of Commencement of Public Offering - VLRM · 2025-05-30
  62. Public Offering Announcement for IPTX1 Revenue Token by Inversiones Politex · 2025-03-17
  63. Public Offering Notice IPTX - ES · 2025-03-17
  64. Announcement of Public Offering: COINGT · 2025-02-11
  65. Notice of Public Offering COINGT 10022025 · 2025-02-11
  66. National Commission of Digital Assets Annual Activity Report 2023-2024 · 2025-01-14
  67. CNAD Annual Report 2023-2024: From Zero to Global Leaders in the Digital Assets Industry · 2025-01-14
  68. Nexbridge Digital Financial Solutions S.A. de C.V. Public Offering Announcement for USTBL Token · 2024-11-19
  69. Public Offering Announcement for USTBL Token by Nexbridge · 2024-11-19
  70. NexBridge Launches First Regulated Public Offering of Tokenized US Treasury Bonds · 2024-11-18
  71. NexBridge USTBL Digital Asset Registration Information Document · 2024-11-18
  72. NexBridge Launches First Regulated Public Offering of Tokenized U.S. Treasury Bills · 2024-11-18
  73. NexBridge USTBL Digital Asset Valuation - USDT · 2024-11-18
This guide is compiled automatically from 73 primary-source documents published by El Salvador's regulators, reviewed by RegAlert, and refreshed monthly (last updated 2026-07-12). It is not legal advice — always confirm requirements with the regulator or local counsel before acting.