Business
Commercial Code companies plus a digital-assets regime
The Código de Comercio governs companies, with the sociedad anónima the standard form and registration through the Centro Nacional de Registros. El Salvador is also unusual in having made bitcoin legal tender in 2021 and enacted a bespoke digital-assets statute in 2023.
Key rules
- A sociedad anónima requires at least two shareholders and minimum capital of USD 2,000, with 5% paid on subscription.
- Incorporation is by escritura pública registered in the Registro de Comercio at the CNR.
- The Ley Bitcoin 2021 made bitcoin legal tender alongside the US dollar; the 2023 Ley de Emisión de Activos Digitales created the CNAD regulator.
- A matrícula de empresa must be renewed annually and financial statements filed with the registry.
- Foreign investors receive national treatment under the Ley de Inversiones and may hold 100% of a local company.
Governing law
- Código de ComercioCompany forms and commercial obligations.
- Ley de Emisión de Activos Digitales (Decreto 302 de 2023)Digital-asset issuance and the CNAD.
- Ley de InversionesForeign investment guarantees.
In practice
The dollar remains the unit of account for tax and accounting, so bitcoin acceptance is a payments question rather than a bookkeeping one. Registration at the CNR is comparatively fast, and the Miempresa portal handles much of the filing.