According to Cointelegraph, El Salvador has taken a significant step in integrating Bitcoin into its financial system with the approval of the Investment Banking Law. This new legislation distinguishes investment banks from commercial banks, allowing them to hold Bitcoin and other digital assets on their balance sheets. The law enables these banks to offer crypto services to sophisticated investors, akin to accredited investors in the United States. Juan Carlos Reyes, president of El Salvador’s Commission of Digital Assets (CNAD), highlighted that the law permits private investment banks to operate in both legal tender and foreign currencies for sophisticated investors. Additionally, banks can engage in digital assets like Bitcoin with a Digital Asset Service Provider (PSAD) license, potentially operating entirely as Bitcoin banks.
The law is seen as a move to attract foreign investment and establish El Salvador as a burgeoning financial hub. Institutional investors have played a crucial role in the country's crypto adoption, with its favorable regulatory environment drawing crypto companies and financial firms. However, critics argue that the focus on Bitcoin adoption and regulatory policies primarily benefits the government and large businesses, rather than the average citizen.
In a related development, El Salvador is forging international partnerships to bolster its crypto growth. President Nayib Bukele recently met with Bilal Bin Saqib, Pakistan’s state minister of crypto and blockchain, to discuss strategies for national Bitcoin adoption and energy policies to support crypto mining. Bin Saqib emphasized the potential for emerging economies under the IMF program to leverage technology and financial instruments for national growth.
Furthermore, the Central Bank of Bolivia has signed a memorandum of understanding with CNAD to promote the use of cryptocurrencies as an alternative to traditional fiat currencies. This agreement comes amid Bolivia's currency crisis, where the scarcity of US dollars has complicated international trade. As a result, there is an increasing reliance on US-dollar-denominated stablecoins as a medium of exchange, as noted by Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino.
