El Salvador has expanded its international regulatory reach after the National Digital Assets Commission (CNAD)signed a landmark memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission (GFSC). The bilateral agreement establishes a formal framework for information sharing, regulatory cooperation, and joint supervision of cross-border financial technologies. According to CNAD President Juan Carlos Reyes, who met with Gibraltar’s Minister for Justice, Trade and Industry Nigel Feetham, digital assets lack geographical boundaries, making cross-border supervisory collaboration essential for modern markets.

The alliance highlights El Salvador’s evolving leadership in digital finance, transitioning from early cryptocurrency adoption to institutional-grade real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. Minister Feetham praised the vision and leadership driving El Salvador’s framework, emphasizing that constructive dialogues also focused on online gaming, digital assets, and prediction markets. Reyes noted that “Gibraltar is the leading online gaming and casino regulator globally,”emphasizing that institutional maturity in oversight is intentionally built through robust international standards.

This agreement marks the ninth bilateral MOU executed by CNAD, joining previous regulatory pacts with jurisdictions including Kazakhstan, Argentina, Colombia, and Uruguay. The cooperation comes as Gibraltar advances its own tokenization legislation inspired by El Salvador’s Digital Asset Issuance Law (LEAD). While El Salvador permits tokenizing debt, bonds, and equity directly, Gibraltar is opting for a structured approach focused on protected cell companies for experienced investor funds.

Reflecting on the industry’s rapid evolution, Reyes stressed that public perception has shifted dramatically over recent years. “A little over two years ago, we started from a point where crypto was seen as something for criminals,” Reyes stated, adding that “today we are driving the tokenization of real-world assets, and eventually every other financial instrument—that mindset shift is, in itself, the achievement.”