Remittances with bitcoin and cryptocurrencies to El Salvador increased almost 150%

The sending of family remittances to El Salvador through bitcoin (BTC) and cryptocurrency wallets registered a growth of 146.8% year-on-year during the first two months of 2026.

According to the most recent data from the Central Reserve Bank (BCR), the flow of capital under this modality reached 11.6 million dollars between January and Februarysignificantly exceeding the 4.7 million dollars reported in the equivalent period of 2025.

Despite this notable percentage increase, the use of Bitcoin technology and other digital assets for the transfer of international funds maintains a marginal participation within the Salvadoran economy.

According to the official report, this method represents barely 0.8% of the global universe of remittances who entered the country in the first two months of the current year.

In any case, the increase in the volume of dollars transferred through digital asset wallets suggests a progressive adoption by Salvadorans outside the national territory, who for almost five years have been looking for alternatives to traditional channels to support their families in the country, as NoticiasVE has reported.

However, banking institutions and conventional remittance companies continue to dominate the market, concentrating most of the operations, with more than 714 million dollars in the first two monthsaccording to the BCR.

The BCR report details that the total income from family remittances in the first two months of 2026 amounted to 1,524.8 million dollars, which represents a general growth of 8.4% compared to 2025.

The BCR highlights that the United States remains the main country of origin of these funds, with a decisive participation in the flow to the various departments of the Central American country.

Regarding local distribution, San Salvador and San Miguel lead the receipt of remittances, although the report clarifies that the data by department does not include the specific breakdown of what was received through cryptocurrency wallets.

In terms of operational efficiency, the global average remittance of the financial system, including bitcoin and cryptocurrency wallets, stood at $369.7 during this period.

Although the use of digital currencies to send remittances in El Salvador shows significant dynamism, their structural integration into the traditional payment system is still in its infancy, as they have not been able to displace conventional sending methods that continue to capture more than 99% of capital flows. However, the growth trend observed at the beginning of 2026 raises an expansion scenario for the participation of digital assets in Salvadoran family remittances.