Intelligent Solution Group > Services > Crypto license in El Salvador

Crypto license in El Salvador

El Salvador became the first country in the world to recognise Bitcoin as legal tender, opening up unique opportunities for companies operating in the digital asset sector. As the crypto market becomes increasingly legalised, businesses are gaining the opportunity not only to trade BTC, but also to build a fully-fledged infrastructure with state support and in compliance with international AML and KYC standards.

Obtaining a crypto license in El Salvador allows you to officially provide services relating to the issuance, exchange, custody and management of digital assets, and to act as a digital asset provider.

Price: from 26 200 USD

Крипто лицензирование регулируется специальным законом о цифровых активах (Ley de Emisión de Activos Digitales), предусматривает строгую комплаенс-проверку, выдачу идентификационного номера NIT (Número de Identificación Tributaria) и учёт в системе CNAD (Comisión Nacional de Activos Digitales).

Advantages

easy to obtain and competitively priced;

legal trading in BTC and other digital assets;

access to banking infrastructure;

support from CNAD;

zero taxes.

In El Salvador, there are two types of license: BSP and DASP.

A BSP (Bitcoin Service Provider) license is issued by the Central Bank of El Salvador and permits the holder to conduct business exclusively in Bitcoin, specifically the following types of transactions:

exchange (including fiat currencies);
custodial services (storage of clients’ bitcoins);
payment processing.

The DASP (Digital Asset Service Provider) license is issued by the CNAD (National Commission for Digital Assets). It enables the provider to work with a wide range of crypto-assets, excluding Bitcoin. It allows the provider to offer the following services:

investment and custodial services;
cryptocurrency exchange, including fiat currencies;
trading platforms for trading cryptocurrencies and derivatives.

Requirements

1

a local registered address;
2

opening an account at a local bank;
3

a share capital of USD 2 000;
4

the presence of a compliance officer and an internal control system;

5

the development and description of KYC and AML policies;
6

the existence of a business plan and financial model;
7

submitting documents to the CNAD and undergoing an audit.

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All documents must be prepared in accordance with legal requirements, in Spanish, and certified by a notary. Salvadoran regulators place great emphasis on ensuring that the applicant’s internal processes comply with international financial security standards.

Stages

We gather all the necessary information during the consultation;

We are gathering the necessary documentation;

We identify the services provided by the company;

We assist with the company registration process;

Open a bank account;

We prepare the relevant documents for the website and app;

We develop compliance control systems;

We assist with the development of internal guidelines, procedures and policies;

We collect and compile the necessary documentation to obtain a license;

We apply for and obtain a crypto license.

The entire process takes between 3 and 4 months from the date of company registration. El Salvador’s crypto license is a strategic tool for entering the global market. Given the growing demand for transparency, legal protection and high AML and KYC standards, obtaining a DASP license in El Salvador is becoming a beneficial move for crypto projects focused on sustainable development and international partnerships.

Additional services

charged separately

We open accounts with a digital bank;
We provide the services of a local AML officer on a monthly basis;
We assist with bookkeeping.

How long does it take to obtain a crypto license?

On average, the registration process takes between 3 and 4 months from the date of submitting a complete set of documents to the CNAD (National Commission of Digital Assets). The most time-consuming stages are preparing the documentation, opening a bank account and developing a compliance system. Timelines may vary depending on the complexity of the company’s structure and the quality of the documents provided.

Is it possible to obtain a license without being physically present in El Salvador?

The license application process can be handled remotely. However, to comply with legal requirements, you will need a registered local address, a bank account with a Salvadoran bank, and an authorised representative to liaise with the regulators. Many processes, including document submission, business model approval and compliance checks, can be carried out remotely via a trusted representative.

Is it necessary to apply for a license in El Salvador if the company already holds a crypto license in another country?

Holding a license in another jurisdiction does not exempt you from the requirement to undergo the licensing process in El Salvador. Each country sets its own regulatory requirements. To provide services within El Salvador or on behalf of a company registered there, you must obtain a local DASP license in accordance with the Digital Assets Act and undergo a CNAD compliance audit.

Cases:

CASE: How to recover frozen $600,000

The client faced a problem with frozen funds in the account of his international company. The bank where the account was held was in the process of liquidation and froze all funds while starting an audit of its clients.

CASE: Forgotten $400,000

Our client decided to completely liquidate his company, established about 10 years ago in Latvia. During the liquidation process and communication with the bank, we discovered that the client had $400,000 in the account for several years — money everyone had forgotten about.