Digital Payments & Fintech · Ecuador
Fintech & digital payments rules in Ecuador (2026)
Ecuador shaded by its digital payments & fintech status
Ecuador has a dedicated, in-force fintech and payments licensing regime built on the 2022 Ley Fintech and its 2023 implementing decree, with secondary rules issued by the Monetary Board (JPRM) in 2024-2025. Payment aggregators, gateways, remitters, e-money issuers and specialized electronic deposit/payment companies (SEDPE) must incorporate locally and obtain authorization before operating, and a regulatory sandbox and open-finance API mandate are being rolled out. Only electronic money and credit/debit/prepaid cards are recognized means of payment; crypto-assets are not legal tender or an authorized payment method.
Key points
The Ley Orgánica para el Desarrollo, Regulación y Control de los Servicios Financieros Tecnológicos took effect 22 December 2022, giving fintech and payment activities a specific statutory regime; it was implemented by Executive Decree 903 in 2023.
The Central Bank (BCE), Superintendency of Banks (SB) and Superintendency of Companies (SCVS) jointly issue licenses, supervise and control fintech activities; foreign payment service providers serving Ecuadorian residents must also obtain authorization.
Payment aggregators, gateways, remitters, digital wallets and electronic-money issuers must set up a local company (sociedad anónima) and be authorized by the BCE before operating; specialized electronic deposit/payment companies (SEDPE) and auxiliary payment-system participants are a licensed category, with minimum capital reported in the USD 50,000–250,000 range by activity.
In 2024 the Monetary and Financial Policy and Regulation Board issued the norm regulating means and systems of payment and fintech activities, defining authorized electronic payment instruments and the framework for fintech participants in the national payment system.
Resolution JPRM-2024-029-M (approved 31 Dec 2024) requires bank transfers to be processed immediately, 24/7, phased through 2025 with low-value caps (e.g., ~USD 470), routed via private networks or the BCE's new Sistema Integrador de Pagos (SIP) expected to provide interoperability from 2026.
The law authorizes a regulatory sandbox of up to 24 months, but secondary operating rules are limited and uptake is nascent; open-finance/mandatory-API obligations for banks and cooperatives are being phased in (reported effective around April 2026), so these elements are partly in transition.
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Last verified 5/25/2026 · Orientation, not legal advice - verify against the primary sources linked above. Explore the full world map →