This follows the publication of Bitfinex Securities’ Latin America Market Inclusion Report, which argues that tokenisation can materially improve access to capital across Latin America by addressing longstanding market frictions such as high issuance costs, slow settlement, limited investor participation and complex bureaucracy. Panels at Bitfinex Securities Day brought together regulators, financial institutions and issuers to demonstrate how these dynamics are already beginning to shift in practice.
Held on the eve of Plan ₿ Forum, the premier Bitcoin conference in Central America sponsored by Bitfinex, the event showcased how tokenised capital markets are emerging as a practical tool for regional growth, financial inclusion and long-term investment.
During panel discussions, speakers including H.E. Ramin Navai, British Ambassador to El Salvador, Jesse Knutson, Head of Operations at Bitfinex Securities, and Nina Bardi, President of The Bitcoin Fund Management Agency (AAB), explored how tokenisation is lowering barriers to entry for both issuers and investors across Latin America.
Jesse Knutson, Head of Operations at Bitfinex Securities, said the discussions reinforced the conclusions of the Market Inclusion Report:
“Financial markets are beginning to transform thanks to tokenisation and digital assets, which are redefining how capital is accessed and who can invest. Furthermore, it can reduce issuance costs, while listing processes gain momentum and become shorter.”
Institutions and issuers operating in Latin America – including Banco Atlántida, KraneShares and SatStreet – shared first-hand experience of how tokenised securities are enabling access to global investors, improving liquidity and reducing the time and cost traditionally required to bring projects to market.
Andrea Gómez, Commercial Manager of Structured Finance at Banco Atlantida, commented on how tokenisation is opening up new pools of capital to clients: “Our strength as a bank was already structured finance. We were already providing our customers with traditional securitisation, with fiduciary products, with credit and traditional loans. And what we have done is we have incorporated tokenisation as a project finance tool that uses all of the other products that we provide to be able to structure leaner projects so that the returns for our customers are greater.”
Regulator and government representatives from El Salvador also shared their perspectives on how appropriate regulation can support tokenisation’s potential to boost market inclusion.
César Córdova, Proprietor Director of the National Commission of Digital Assets (CNAD), said: “We are leading not just in regulation but in use cases that make sense.” He added: “And the thing is that you don’t need crowdsourcing, you don’t need other types of financial investments because the transaction costs are low and are faster, so that makes the case for tokenisation to be regulated here.”
Speaking on El Salvador’s role as a regional digital assets hub, Nina Bardi, President of AAB, said: “We aim to position El Salvador as a more efficient financial hub, working together and co-developing the ecosystem of digital assets together with traditional finance and DeFi coming together. And also encouraging all strategic partners and donors and everyone in the ecosystem to come to El Salvador and work together to develop the financial hub of the future of the region. ”
El Salvador is a digital assets pioneer after becoming one of the first jurisdictions globally to enact a digital assets law in 2023. Bitfinex Securities was the first to be licensed under this law.
The full version of Bitfinex Securities’ Latin America Market Inclusion Report can be viewed here.
Further enquiries
About Bitfinex Securities
Founded in 2021, Bitfinex Securities seeks to harness the technological advancements of the digital asset industry to transform global capital markets. With real-time settlement, 24/7/365 trading capabilities, access to global liquidity, and support for self-custody, Bitfinex Securities aims to create more efficient, cost-effective, and seamless interactions between investors and issuers. Bitfinex Securities is licensed and regulated in the Astana International Financial Centre in Kazakhstan and El Salvador.
The post appeared first on Bitfinex blog.
