Crypto & Digital Assets · Ecuador
Crypto & Digital Assets - Ecuador
Ecuador's Monetary Code explicitly prohibits cryptocurrency as legal tender or an authorized means of payment, and licensed banks must refuse crypto-related transactions. No blanket ban on private holding or trading exists, but there is no comprehensive crypto-specific licensing regime; instead, VASPs are obligated subjects under the AML Law and must register with the UAFE. The 2025 FinTech by-laws and a draft VASP registry (PSAV) signal an actively developing framework that has not yet been enacted into full law.
Articles 94 and 98 of the COMF prohibit crypto as an authorized means of payment; the BCE and JPRFM have issued public reminders that using crypto as payment may be referred to the Attorney General's Office for sanction.
VASPs are designated obligated subjects under Ecuador's AML Law (revised October 2025) and must register with UAFE, apply KYC/CDD controls, monitor transactions, and file suspicious-activity reports.
JPRFM Resolution JPRFM-2025-004-F formalised requirements for FinTech service providers: minimum paid-in capital of USD 200,000, local incorporation as a sociedad anónima, liability insurance, quarterly cybersecurity reports, and special SB registration.
A dedicated PSAV chapter under the COMF reform is under legislative debate; once enacted it would require exchanges to segregate client funds and share wallet analytics with UAFE, but no enactment date is confirmed.
Tokens bearing investment-contract characteristics fall under the Securities Market Law and SCVS supervision; the Companies Act also permits blockchain-based share tokenisation for sociedades anónimas.
The Servicio de Rentas Internas (SRI) treats realised crypto gains as Ecuador-source income: up to 35% progressively for individuals and 25% flat for companies; no holding-period relief or crypto-specific exemptions are in force.
Machine-assisted translation · verified 5/24/2026 · orientation, not legal advice. English version →