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Law Establishing Investment Banks That May Leverage Bitcoin and Digital Assets
By Eproint
On August 7, 2025, El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly approved the Investment Banking Law, a new framework allowing the creation of financial institutions that operate separately from traditional commercial banks. These investment banks will be permitted to provide services such as asset management, financial advisory, project financing, bond issuance, and the custody or issuance of digital assets, including Bitcoin.
To qualify, institutions must be established as joint-stock companies with a minimum capital of US $50 million. Participation will be restricted to “sophisticated investors,” defined in the law as individuals or entities holding at least US $250,000 in liquid assets. Eligible assets include Bitcoin, stablecoins, tokenized commodities, sovereign bonds, gold, or cash.
Regulation and oversight will fall to the Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador (BCR) and the Superintendency of the Financial System (SSF), which are tasked with issuing technical rules on capital requirements, liquidity, and risk management. Institutions may also apply for additional licenses to operate entirely in Bitcoin or other digital assets, subject to regulatory approval.
The measure is the latest step in El Salvador’s digital finance strategy, following the adoption of Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021 and the approval of a digital securities framework in 2023. Supporters argue the law could help attract international capital and position the country as a hub for high-value financial services. Critics, however, point out that the eligibility requirements exclude the vast majority of Salvadorans, limiting the potential benefits to wealthy individuals and institutional investors.
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In El Salvador, Practice Head Edy Guadalupe Portal is a partner at Eproint and has more than 25 years of experience in Intellectual Property. Since 1995, she has been recognized as the Salvadoran voice of Intellectual Property protection for always informing the IP community about changes to IP law and international treaties.
During her career, Mrs. Portal has helped numerous international law firms and in-house counsel with all facets of their IP matters in El Salvador and Central America. Her extensive practice includes work in trademarks, patents, industrial designs, utility models, copyrights, unfair competition, foreign investment, regulatory law/health registrations, licensing, franchising, appellations of origin, geographical indications, IP litigation, fashion law, new technologies, data privacy, cybersecurity, domain names, entertainment law, advertisement law, trade secrets, valuation of intangibles, and IP due diligence. She is also recognized for the great anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting results she has delivered for her clients. She also helps coordinate Latin America Intellectual Property Protection for the firm.