Following the approval of the legal framework that recognizes Bitcoin as a legal tender in El Salvador, one out of two local businessmen are concerned that the circulation of the cryptocurrency is mandatory and one out of three are distrustful of this change in the laws.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of El Salvador carried out a survey among its members, businessmen in general and citizen consumers to know the expectations of the productive sector regarding the implementation of the cryptocurrency.
Following the approval of the Bitcoin Law in El Salvador by the members of the Legislative Assembly, which creates a legal framework that recognizes this digital currency as legal tender in the country, the IMF warns that financial and legal risks have arisen.
Following the approval of the Bitcoin Law in El Salvador by the deputies of the Legislative Assembly, there is now a new legal framework that recognizes this digital currency as legal tender in the country.
The President of the Republic, Nayib Bukele, sent to the Legislative Assembly, through the Minister of Economy, Maria Luisa Hayem, the bill to allow the use of Bitcoin in the country.
After multiple consultations, the Superintendency of Banks announced that virtual currencies or assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple and other similar ones, are not legal tender in the country.
The Superintendency of Banks, derived from the different consultations made by economic and financial agents regarding the use of virtual currencies or assets, known as cryptocurrencies, informs the population that in accordance with the Monetary Law, the monetary unit of Guatemala is the Quetzal and only the Bank of Guatemala can issue banknotes and coins within the territory of the Republic, therefore virtual currencies are not legal tender in the country, explains an official statement.
The Congress approved by articles and final wording the Leasing Law, a legal framework that establishes mechanisms for people to lease with option to purchase.
With 101 votes in favor, the Plenary of the Congress of the Republic approved Decree 2-2021, Leasing Law, which regulates leasing with option to purchase in the Guatemalan legislation, informed the legislative body.
In the Honduran Congress there is a bill that seeks to prohibit banks and finance companies from capitalizing interest on payments not made from March 2020 to December 2021, a measure that worries the sector.
The initiative was sent by the Executive to the National Congress months ago. The purpose of the bill, which is called "Financial Plan of Solidarity Rescue", is to benefit people and companies that were affected by the spread of covid-19, with the payment of their debts.
As a result of the changes made by the Assembly in Panama regarding the total payment of the resources placed on deposit in cases where the banks are in the process of liquidation, the Banking Association is asking for the construction of consensual public policies.
The plenary session of the Assembly, after correcting the formulations made to the document by the Executive, passed in third debate Project 308, which adds provisions to Decree Law 9 of 1998 on the Banking System in Panama, the legislative body informed last September 30.
From August 4th and during 10 working days, the Central Bank of Costa Rica will submit to public consultation the technical study regarding the First ordinary fixing of commissions of the payment card system and the proposal of Regulations of the Payment Card System.
This study and proposed regulation are being carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Law of Maximum Commissions of the Payment Card System, Law 9831, of March 21, 2020, informed the monetary authority.
A law was published in the Official Journal establishing a moratorium on loans granted by banks, cooperatives and finance companies, both public and private, until December 31, 2020, for natural and legal persons affected by the pandemic.
The law promulgated on July 1 in the Official Journal, states that the benefits of the moratorium will be available to persons whose employment contract has been suspended or terminated, independent workers and traders whose activity has been affected by the health measures applied by covid-19.
After President Cortizo partially banned the moratorium bill, the National Assembly discussed the initiative in a second debate, which was unnecessary for the Superintendent of Banks, who said that the banks had already implemented the necessary measures.
Despite the fact that on May 4 President Laurentino Cortizo and the representative of the Panamanian Banking Association, Aimee de Grimaldo, signed an agreement to extend the moratorium until December 31, 2020 due to the economic crisis caused by covid-19, the deputies declared themselves in permanent session to discuss the moratorium project (already banned by the president) in second debate in extraordinary sessions from June 15 to 18.
A bill has been submitted to the National Assembly proposing to prohibit the practice of advance discounts for late payments.
The document also provides that banks agree to enter into a payment arrangement with the debtor when the customer is more than 90 days late in paying the loan.
In Costa Rica, a law initiative under discussion seeks to set caps on interest rates on loans, a measure that could lead to a reduction in the offer of credit for debtors classified as higher risk.
As part of a bill being discussed in the Legislative Assembly, the heads of the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR) and the General Superintendence of Financial Entities (Sugef) were asked to give their views on the content of the proposal.
The National Assembly of Panama approved in second debate the bill, by means of which it is intended to create the Superintendence of Non-Financial Subjects.
This legislative project, sent by the Executive Branch to be analyzed in extraordinary sessions, seeks to establish the exclusive competence to regulate and supervise in the administrative way the non-financial obligated subjects with the intention of preventing money laundering, the financing of terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, informed the National Assembly.
With the approval of the reforms to the Credit Card System Law, in El Salvador it will be banned to charge interest on surcharges generated by arrears.
The reforms also establish that banks must deliver free of charge settlements and cancellations of credit cards, physically or electronically, at the latest within 24 hours, while the documents of obligation or promissory notes that the debtor has signed must be returned within 5 business days maximum, informed the Legislative Assembly:
Not considering the costs of the collection process, nor market conditions, are some of the failures that banks identify in the bill being discussed in the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica.