Bitcoin-friendly El Salvador's central bank has announced that it registered 80 firms to allow them to operate as a Bitcoin service provider in the country over the last two years.
The
registered companies include the government's official digital wallet
Chivo, Bitcoin custodian Paxos, and crypto service provider Bitcapital.
- The increased registered firm number aims to accelerate Bitcoin adoption in the country.
- 58 out of 80 registered firms are crypto exchanges, while there are two Bitcoin ATM service providers on the list.
- Most registered crypto exchanges offer Bitcoin custody and storage services.
- The country also recently granted its first digital asset service provider license to crypto exchange Bitfinex's El Salvadorian arm, Bitfinex Securities El Salvador.
- The license allows Bitfinex to offer its secondary trading service for digital assets within the country in a regulated manner.
- In
September 2021, El Salvador became the first country to accept Bitcoin
(BTC) as a legal tender under the leadership of President Nayib Bukele.
- The Legislative Assembly of El Salvador also recently passed a law outlining the new regulatory framework for digital assets.
