Bitfinex has received a Digital Asset Service Provider licence in El Salvador expanding the company\u2019s regulated footprint in Latin America.<\/p>\n
Bitfinex now joins Bitfinex Securities and Bitfinex Derivatives as licensed entities in El Salvador, offering\u00a0 spot trading, derivatives, and tokenised securities.<\/p>\n
The announcement comes as El Salvador\u2019s digital asset framework continues to develop, with CNAD licensing more than 70 digital asset service providers since Bitfinex Securities became the first platform approved under the country\u2019s Digital Assets Issuance Law in April 2023.<\/p>\n
San Salvador, El Salvador<\/strong> \u2013 12 May, 2026 \u2013 Bitfinex, one of the longest-running and premier digital asset trading platforms, today announced that it has received a Digital Asset Service Provider (\u201cDASP\u201d) licence to operate in El Salvador. The licence expands Bitfinex\u2019s regulated footprint and adds the core Bitfinex platform to the existing licensed operations in the country. Bitfinex Securities<\/a>* and Bitfinex Derivatives<\/a>** have already established licensed entities in El Salvador, giving Bitfinex a regulated presence across spot trading, derivatives, and tokenised securities.<\/p>\n El Salvador has become one of the most innovative and closely watched jurisdictions for Bitcoin adoption and digital asset regulation. The country\u2019s digital asset framework has developed on the back of a growing economy, with Banco Central de Reserva data<\/a> showing 3.8% year-over-year GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2025, a 4.3% annual increase in economic activity in February 2026, and remittances rising 7.3% year-over-year to US$2.44 billion through March 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n For Bitfinex, the licence provides a deeper regulatory foundation for serving its customers and strengthens its presence in Latin America. The announcement also comes as Bitcoin has climbed to a three-month high, adding to renewed attention on El Salvador\u2019s role in digital assets and blockchain-based financial services.<\/p>\n \u201cEl Salvador has pursued a deliberate policy of becoming a serious home for regulated digital asset infrastructure, and that is paying off,\u201d said Paolo Ardoino, CTO of Bitfinex<\/strong>. \u201cHolding licences across our spot, derivatives and securities businesses reflects our long-standing commitment to the country and to operating under proper and innovative supervision, as we deepen our role in supporting the development of a more open and accessible digital asset economy.\u201d<\/p>\n Bitfinex has been a strong supporter of El Salvador\u2019s digital asset licensing regime since its earliest stages. Bitfinex Securities received its Digital Asset Service Provider licence in April 2023, becoming the world\u2019s first international digital asset platform approved under El Salvador\u2019s Digital Assets Issuance Law and the first licence granted by the Comisi\u00f3n Nacional de Activos Digitales. The fully regulated platform was established to support the issuance and trading of tokenised real-world assets, including equities and bonds.<\/p>\n