General Requirements
-
Incorporate a company in El Salvador -
At least two shareholders
-
Minimum capital of USD 2,000
-
A physical office in the country
-
Appointment of a compliance and AML officer
Offshore Pro Group structures and secures the El Salvador crypto license end-to-end: from incorporating a Salvadoran company to obtaining authorization from the National Commission of Digital Assets (CNAD) or the Central Reserve Bank (BCR) and opening a corporate bank account. El Salvador became the first country in the world to recognize Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021 and offers licensed digital-asset companies capital-gains tax exemption, a clear legal framework, and enhanced international credibility.
Excellent 4,6 out of 5
Regulators
CNAD & BCR
CNAD for DASP; the Central Reserve Bank (BCR) for BSP.
License Types
BSP & DASP
Bitcoin Service Provider and Digital Asset Service Provider.
Timeline
3–6 Months
Typically around six months overall.
Minimum Capital
USD 2,000
At least two shareholders required.
Capital-Gains Tax
Exempt
For CNAD-registered, compliant companies.
Governing Law
Bitcoin Law & LEAD
Bitcoin Law 2021 (amended 2024) and the Digital Assets Issuance Law.
El Salvador is one of the most favorable jurisdictions in the world for digital-asset business. In 2021, it became the first country to recognize Bitcoin as legal tender; since 2024, acceptance of Bitcoin has become voluntary.
Operations with digital assets are governed by two principal statutes: the Bitcoin Law of 2021 (as amended in 2024, which now provides for the voluntary acceptance of BTC in commercial settlement) and the Digital Assets Issuance Law (LEAD), which regulates the issuance, trading, and use of cryptocurrencies. Offshore Pro Group advises clients across both license types and manages the engagement from company formation through to licensing and banking.
El Salvador offers one of the world’s most attractive regulatory environments for digital-asset businesses, combining tax advantages, legal certainty, and strong government support for innovation.
Exemption on crypto operations for companies registered with CNAD and compliant with local law.
Income from virtual-asset operations by licensed companies is exempt from corporate tax.
A clear legal framework in which property and asset-security rights are guaranteed by the state.
A license enhances trust among partners, banks, and investors that work only with reliable counterparties.
Simplified company-registration procedures, including for cryptocurrency companies.
The authorities actively support innovation in cryptocurrency and technology.
El Salvador offers two crypto-license types. The right choice depends on the company’s business model and the digital assets it works with.
Required for companies offering any services involving Bitcoin, including exchange, storage, and use as a means of payment (acceptance of Bitcoin remains voluntary). The BSP license is issued by the Central Reserve Bank (BCR).
Required for companies offering services with digital assets other than Bitcoin, covering a broader range of digital assets including tokens and altcoins, and extending to token issuance and the operation of exchanges for trading and managing virtual assets. Issued by CNAD and regulated under LEAD.
A crypto license is required by companies that provide wallet services, issue tokens, and build and operate platforms for trading digital assets, as well as companies and brokers offering investment services connected with digital assets.
Obtaining an El Salvador crypto license requires a local company structure, sufficient capital, compliance procedures, and a complete set of corporate and regulatory documents. Licensed companies must also maintain cybersecurity standards and provide ongoing reporting to regulators.
Incorporate a company in El Salvador
At least two shareholders
Minimum capital of USD 2,000
A physical office in the country
Appointment of a compliance and AML officer
Incorporation documents of the legal entity
ID and address of directors and shareholders
A detailed three-year business plan
Organizational-structure details
Description of AML policies
Cybersecurity protocols
Documents confirming management qualifications and absence of criminal recordsAll companies working with crypto-assets must implement cybersecurity standards for the storage and processing of virtual assets. After licensing, they must maintain and regularly submit financial reporting to regulators and, on request, disclose company information, including data on owners and shareholders.
Obtaining the El Salvador crypto license proceeds in three stages, typically completed in around six months.
The applicant’s intention to operate within the law is established and its compliance assessed. Core documents are submitted, including corporate-structure information, a business plan describing the scale of the planned crypto activity, and details of AML and KYC protocols.
A legal entity is established under Salvadoran corporate law, after which registration and licensing with CNAD proceeds. CNAD assesses whether the applicant meets the legal, financial, and operational standards required to operate in El Salvador’s crypto system.
A corporate bank account is opened to manage operations, running in parallel with licensing. Once all checks are completed, CNAD issues the authorization, and the company may begin operations.
Offshore Pro Group confirms the required documents, nuances of the process, timelines, and costs before you commit.
Contact an ExpertUliana Syva
Consultant for company registration, bank account opening, residency, and citizenship.
1000+
successful cases
13+
years of experience
Offshore Pro Group offers three engagement packages for El Salvador. All prices are stated plus government fees.
+ government fees
Company registration in El Salvador, including document preparation, licenses, and tax number.
Get started+ government fees
Company registration with document preparation, tax numbers and licenses, and corporate bank account opening.
+ government fees
Comprehensive incorporation: legal formation, tax registration, mandatory licenses, accounting-system development, and fulfillment of regulatory requirements.
Get startedEl Salvador applies a progressive approach to crypto taxation. Companies conducting operations with digital assets, including Bitcoin, are fully exempt from capital-gains tax, and income from virtual-asset operations conducted by licensed companies is exempt from corporate tax. A tax identification number (NIT) is nonetheless required even though crypto operations are not taxed.
Supervision is shared across the country’s financial regulators: BSP providers are overseen by the BCR and DASP providers by CNAD, with all licensed crypto companies also subject to monitoring by the Superintendencia del Sistema Financiero (SSF) and the Financial Investigation Unit (UIF). Licenses must be renewed annually with CNAD, with updated compliance documents, financial statements, and activity data submitted and an annual license fee paid ahead of expiry. Compliance follows the FATF recommendations on AML and KYC.
BSP providers are supervised by the Central Reserve Bank (BCR)
DASP providers are supervised by CNAD under LEAD
All licensed crypto companies are monitored by the SSF and UIF
BSP providers register in the RPSBTC registry
DASP providers register in the RPSAD registry
Annual CNAD renewal with updated compliance documents, financial statements, and license fee paymentOffshore Pro Group provides the full range of services to support the crypto licensing of a company in El Salvador.
From the preparation and submission of documents for company registration through to effective engagement with regulatory authorities.
The firm resolves the organizational questions that arise so the client can focus on developing the business.
Careful preparation helps minimize the risk of refusal and supports prompt, successful issuance of the license.
The firm ensures the business meets the highest international standards throughout the licensing process.
Offshore Pro Group provides expert consultation and full legal support at every stage of licensing, so the business meets the highest international standards. Begin the process of company registration and obtaining the necessary authorizations today.
An official authorization issued by local financial regulators that allows companies to lawfully operate with cryptocurrencies and digital assets. It covers activities such as crypto exchange, digital-asset management, token issuance, and related services, confirming compliance with security, transparency, and regulatory standards.
Licensing provides legal status, strengthens the company’s reputation, improves trust with international partners and investors, and gives access to El Salvador’s regulated digital-asset market with opportunities for growth.
Typically 3 to 6 months. The process includes pre-registration, company incorporation, AML/KYC compliance preparation, and the license application. Proper preparation and professional support help accelerate the process.
There are two main types. The Bitcoin Service Provider (BSP) license covers Bitcoin-related activities such as exchange, storage, and payment services. The Digital Asset Service Provider (DASP) license covers broader digital assets, including tokens, altcoins, token issuance, and digital-asset exchanges.
The Central Reserve Bank (BCR) issues and supervises BSP licenses. CNAD issues DASP licenses, which operate under the Digital Assets Issuance Law (LEAD).
The company must establish a legal entity in El Salvador, provide a three-year business plan, confirm financial soundness, implement AML and KYC procedures, maintain cybersecurity standards, and submit documents confirming management qualifications and the absence of criminal records.
The minimum capital requirement is USD 2,000. The company must also have at least two shareholders and maintain a physical office in El Salvador.
Yes. Foreign applicants can establish a Salvadoran legal entity and comply with all regulatory requirements, including document submission, AML/KYC procedures, and confirmation of financial reliability.
Licensed companies conducting operations with digital assets, including Bitcoin, benefit from capital-gains tax exemption and corporate-tax exemption on virtual-asset income. A tax identification number (NIT) is still required.
BSP providers register in the Registry of Bitcoin Service Providers (RPSBTC), while DASP providers register in the Registry of Digital Asset Providers (RPSAD). Licensed companies are also monitored by the SSF and UIF.
Yes. Crypto licenses require annual renewal with CNAD. Companies must submit updated compliance documents, financial statements, activity information, and pay the annual license fee before expiry.
The 2023 provisions enabled tokenization of real assets, issuance of stablecoins, and introduced additional requirements for token issuance, digital-asset operations, and licensing procedures. CNAD also introduced digital tools to improve submission and review processes.
Offshore Pro Group provides complete support throughout the licensing process — from company registration and document preparation to communication with regulators — helping minimize refusal risks and achieve successful license issuance.