Crypto license in El Salvador

El Salvador

El Salvador regulates crypto businesses through the PSAD — Proveedor de Servicios de Activos Digitales (Digital Asset Service Provider / DASP) registration regime, administered by the Comisión Nacional de Activos Digitales (CNAD). Any natural or legal person whose ordinary business…

Request a Licensing Assessment

Jurisdiction	El Salvador
License type	Crypto license
Regulator	Comisión Nacional de Activos Digitales (CNAD)

✦

Requirements

Before applying to CNAD, a crypto business needs a Salvadoran legal entity. Companies are registered with the Centro Nacional de Registros (CNR) — Registro de Comercio, the national Commercial Registry. Salvadoran commercial law offers several legal forms (see the Basic company reference for the full list, including the Sociedad Anónima and branch structures), but the Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada (S. de R.L.) — the local LLC equivalent — is the recommended default vehicle for licensing purposes, being the structure most commonly used by small/medium enterprises and foreign-owned subsidiaries. Incorporation in El Salvador is carried out by public deed (escritura pública) before a notary, followed by registration at the CNR. Once incorporated, the company can open corporate banking with local institutions such as Banco Agrícola, Banco Cuscatlán, or Banco Promerica.

El Salvador has built a dedicated statutory framework for digital assets — the Digital Assets Issuance Law (LEAD) — under the supervision of a single specialized regulator, CNAD, rather than folding crypto activity into generic financial-services rules. Key features that matter to applicants:

Clear regulatory scope: Article 19 of the LEAD defines a DASP/PSAD broadly enough to capture both locally domiciled providers and foreign providers actively marketing into El Salvador, so the registration requirement is not easily avoided by operating cross-border.
Structured, time-bound process: registration runs through a Pre-Registration stage (initial CNAD evaluation resulting in an ''objection'' or ''no objection'') followed by a Definitive Registration stage under Article 20 of the LEAD and Articles 7 and 17–35 of the RPSAD regulation, where CNAD commits to a maximum 20 business day evaluation window (or 10 business days to complete an incomplete filing).
Tax benefits: once the definitive registration number is notified, the PSAD/Certifier benefits from the tax incentives established under Article 36 of the LEAD.
AML oversight: upon registration, CNAD notifies the Financial Investigation Unit (UIF), embedding the licensee into El Salvador's anti-money-laundering reporting chain from the outset.
Enforcement: operating as a digital asset service provider without CNAD approval is illegal and exposes the operator to penalties under the LEAD.

CNAD's mandate also extends to Bitcoin Service Providers (BSP) under a related registration track (RPSBTC), though specific BSP requirements and fees are not detailed in the confirmed source material for this page.

Get Your Crypto License in El Salvador

Book a Consultation

Comisión Nacional de Activos Digitales (CNAD)

National Commission on Digital Assets; regulates Bitcoin Service Providers (BSP) and Digital Asset Service Providers (DASP) under the Digital Assets Issuance Law (LEAD, 2023), overseeing registration (RPSBTC, RPSAD), AML/KYC compliance, minimum capital requirements, and reporting; also administers the LEAD framework for blockchain-based asset issuance including tokenized real estate, hospitality-infrastructure and debt instruments, with associated tax benefits https://cnad.gob.sv/

Overview

El Salvador regulates crypto businesses through the PSAD — Proveedor de Servicios de Activos Digitales (Digital Asset Service Provider / DASP) registration regime, administered by the Comisión Nacional de Activos Digitales (CNAD). Any natural or legal person whose ordinary business involves providing one or more digital asset services — whether domiciled in El Salvador or simply marketing such services to Salvadoran clients — falls within the definition of a DASP/PSAD under the Digital Assets Issuance Law (LEAD), making formal CNAD registration a legal requirement before operating.

✦

Licensing Process

Engraved gold medallion of official documents with the El Salvador skyline

Step 1

Incorporate the operating entity (Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada recommended) via public deed and register it with the CNR — Registro de Comercio.

Engraved gold medallion of a document being filed with the El Salvador skyline

Step 2

Submit a Pre-Registration form to CNAD with information on the applicant and the intended operating area; CNAD evaluates and issues either an ''objection'' or a ''no objection.''

Engraved gold medallion of an ornate certificate with the El Salvador skyline

Step 3

Compile and submit the Definitive Registration documentation (per Article 20 of the LEAD and Articles 7, 17–35 of the RPSAD) both digitally and physically at CNAD's offices — CNAD has a maximum of 20 business days to issue a resolution (or 10 business days to request completion of an incomplete filing).

Engraved gold medallion of an appointment ledger with the El Salvador skyline

Step 4

Upon a favorable resolution, pay the initial registration fee of $5,475 within 10 days of notification.

Engraved gold medallion of a bank ledger with the El Salvador skyline

Step 5

Receive the registration certificate/authorization to operate as a PSAD/DASP; CNAD notifies the Financial Investigation Unit (UIF) of the new registration, and the entity begins enjoying the Article 36 tax benefits.

Stages 3–4 together have a known combined window of approximately 30 days (20 business days for CNAD's evaluation plus the 10-day post-approval payment period); this does not include the timelines for company incorporation (Stage 1) or the Pre-Registration evaluation (Stage 2), which are not stated in the available sources.

Receive a Licensing Roadmap

Request an Assessment

✦

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the official local name for El Salvador's crypto license?

The regime is officially called PSAD — Proveedor de Servicios de Activos Digitales, the Spanish-language equivalent of the international term DASP (Digital Asset Service Provider). Both terms refer to the same CNAD registration.

Which regulator oversees crypto businesses in El Salvador?

The Comisión Nacional de Activos Digitales (CNAD), acting under the Digital Assets Issuance Law (LEAD).

Is there a two-step registration process?

Yes. Applicants first go through Pre-Registration (initial CNAD review resulting in an objection or no objection), then Definitive Registration, where full documentation is submitted and CNAD issues a formal resolution.

How much is the registration fee?

CNAD's confirmed fee is an initial registration fee of $5,475, payable within 10 days of a favorable resolution notification.

How long does CNAD take to decide on an application?

CNAD has a maximum of 20 business days to evaluate a complete Definitive Registration application, or it may notify the applicant of an incomplete application and allow 10 business days to complete it.

What happens if CNAD issues an unfavorable resolution?

The applicant may resubmit its registration request.

Are there tax benefits to being registered?

Yes — from the notification of the definitive registration number, the PSAD/Certifier enjoys the tax benefits established under Article 36 of the LEAD.

What company structure is recommended before applying for a PSAD license?

A Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada (S. de R.L.), El Salvador's LLC-equivalent, registered with the CNR, is the recommended default entity for licensing purposes.

✦