El Salvador Stock Exchange (BVES)
What trades on the BVES
| Market | January to August 2026 | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Repos (reportos) | USD 1,955.5 million (43.6%) | Short-term financing backed by securities, mostly for cash management |
| International market | USD 1,448.9 million | Purchases and sales of foreign securities through local brokers |
| Primary market | USD 776.7 million | New issues, including LETES and CETES from the Ministry of Finance, corporate bonds and securitisations |
| Secondary market | USD 165.8 million | Resale of securities already issued |
| Equities | USD 136 million | Shares, mainly foreign instruments |
Source: Bolsa de Valores de El Salvador: securities market grew 38.6% to August 20263
Most of the volume is debt and repos rather than shares. The Ministry of Finance auctions its short-term bills (LETES) through the exchange.1,4
The Panama link and foreign brokers
Since 2017 the BVES has been integrated with the Panama stock exchange, so brokers in each country can trade securities listed in the other. By August 2026 the integration had handled USD 1,045.1 million, and 12 foreign intermediaries were taking part.3
CEDEVAL and Digital Exchange
- CEDEVAL: the Central Securities Depository (Central de Depósito de Valores), a BVES subsidiary incorporated on 11 January 1994 that holds, keeps in custody and administers securities. Since 16 November 2018 it has also handled the cash clearing and settlement of exchange trades.
- Digital Exchange (DAX): a BVES subsidiary incorporated on 30 October 2023 to issue, structure and trade digital assets; it was authorised in August 2025 by the National Digital Assets Commission (CNAD) as a digital asset service provider.
Source: Bolsa de Valores de El Salvador: Annual report 2025 (PDF, in Spanish); Bolsa de Valores de El Salvador: Annual corporate governance report 20251,2
How to invest
- Open an account with a brokerage house (casa de corredores de bolsa) supervised by the SSF; orders reach the exchange through these brokers.
- Your securities are held in book-entry form at CEDEVAL; expect the broker to ask for identity and source of funds documents.
- Check the issuer prospectus and its local risk rating, published on the BVES website, before you buy.
- Gains on securities may be taxed; see the capital gains guide.
Source: Bolsa de Valores de El Salvador: Annual report 2025 (PDF, in Spanish); SSF: Supervised entities1,5
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the El Salvador stock exchange?
The Bolsa de Valores de El Salvador (BVES) began trading on 27 April 1992 and operates under the supervision of the Superintendency of the Financial System (SSF).
What trades on the BVES?
Most of its volume is repurchase agreements (repos) and debt securities, including Ministry of Finance bills. Repos were 43.6% of the volume from January to August 2026.
How much did the BVES trade in 2026?
From January to August 2026 it traded USD 4,483 million, 38.6% more than a year earlier.
Sources
- Bolsa de Valores de El Salvador: Annual report 2025 (PDF, in Spanish)
- Bolsa de Valores de El Salvador: Annual corporate governance report 2025 (in Spanish)
- Bolsa de Valores de El Salvador: securities market grew 38.6% to August 2026 (in Spanish)
- Bolsa de Valores de El Salvador: LETES features and calendar (in Spanish)
- SSF: Supervised entities (in Spanish)
Figures checked 8 November 2026. Prepared by InvestSalvador.com for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.
