Bitfinex Securities, a platform specializing in trading tokenized securities, has officially entered the El Salvadoran market. This move comes several months after the company received its license to operate as a digital asset service provider in accordance with the country's Digital Asset Issuance Law in April 2023.
With El Salvador's government having completed the development of crucial regulations and infrastructure for digital asset operations last year, Bitfinex Securities is now ready to launch its platform.
On January 31st, Bitfinex Securities announced its expectations of significant institutional interest in Bitcoin and securities based on it, especially following the introduction of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States. According to Jesse Knutson, the Head of Operations at Bitfinex Securities, "We sense institutional interest in Bitcoin and securities based on it, especially after the launch of spot ETFs in the U.S."
The platform also anticipates a surge in interest in tokenized securities and real assets. With the launch of Bitfinex Securities in El Salvador, they plan to introduce various products, including the issuance of stocks and bonds, in the coming months.
Jesse Knutson expressed excitement about their portfolio, stating, "We are excited to have both local and international issuers in our portfolio."
The launch of Bitfinex Securities in El Salvador also aims to help the exchange expand its presence in Central and South America. Knutson added that the platform is available to institutional and individual investors worldwide, except for jurisdictions under sanctions.
Knutson highlighted El Salvador's significant progress since adopting Bitcoin as legal tender in September 2021. He stated, "El Salvador's financial metrics have also outperformed regional metrics and expectations since the fourth quarter of 2021, partially supported by Bitcoin investments and tourism in El Salvador."
He also noted, "The Lightning Network's capacity has demonstrated consistent stability despite Bitcoin price volatility over the past two years and continues to hover around record highs. We believe this is partly due to the growing popularity in El Salvador."
As previously reported, Bitfinex Securities commenced trading in Kazakhstan in March 2022 under the oversight of Kazakhstan's National Financial Center, known as the Astana International Financial Center. The platform initiated trading with Blockstream Mining Note (BMN), a token offering qualified investors outside the U.S. the opportunity to mine bitcoins or invest in BTC miner stocks.
Over the past few months, the platform has been gradually rolling out its services, with no reported transactions in the last two months.