Bitfinex Securities El Salvador S.A. de C.V. is leading an effort to fund the development of a Hampton by Hilton hotel complex at El Salvador International Airport through a tokenized debt issue. The token, HILSV, will trade against the U.S. dollar and tether (USDT) and will be issued on the Liquid Network, a bitcoin sidechain. The project marks a significant milestone in El Salvador’s capital market development and represents a unique investment opportunity for individuals looking to diversify their portfolio. The tokenized debt issuance will offer a 10% coupon over a five-year period, with a minimum investment threshold of $1,000. The funds raised will be used to develop the hotel complex, which is expected to create economic opportunities by generating jobs during construction and once operational.
Bitfinex Securities has partnered with Inversiones Laguardia (HILSV), a reputable entity in El Salvador, to manage the tokenized debt. The tokenization and structuring of the transaction will be handled by Ditobanx, ensuring issuance on the Liquid blockchain—a Bitcoin layer-2 solution. The issuance of HILSV, announced on April 11, aims to raise $6.25 million and will be facilitated by Inversiones Laguardia S.A. de C.V. Hilton Hotels is involved as a franchisor, but does not endorse any offering and bears no responsibility, according to the press release. The project is expected to create significant economic opportunities by generating jobs during construction and operational phases, benefiting the local community.
Bitfinex Securities CTO Paolo Ardoinio expressed excitement about the launch of the HILSV token, which represents the first digital asset tokenization in El Salvador. He highlighted the importance of introducing a new asset class into the market and providing investors with opportunities to access assets they would not usually have the chance to invest in. The President of Inversiones Laguardia, Roberto Laguardia, emphasized the transformative potential of the project in leveraging digital asset laws to access previously unavailable capital markets, enabling the development of essential tourism-related infrastructure and driving economic growth in El Salvador.
In January, Bitfinex Securities became the first regulated entity to obtain a license for operation in El Salvador under the nation’s Digital Asset Securities Law. This achievement marked a significant milestone in the company’s journey and demonstrated its commitment to providing regulated investment avenues in the region. Following the success of a tokenized bond offering in Kazakhstan, Bitfinex Securities has established a pipeline of potential financial asset issuances in El Salvador, slated to debut in the first half of the year. Customers must be verified with both its Kazakhstan and El Salvador entities to access all Bitfinex Securities issuances.
El Salvador has been at the forefront of crypto adoption, granting Bitcoin legal tender status in 2021 and launching the “Adopting El Salvador Freedom Visa” program in collaboration with stablecoin issuer Tether. This program allows investors to apply for the Freedom Visa by investing $1 million in Bitcoin or USDT. Bitfinex Securities’ entry into the region signifies a growing interest in regulated digital asset investments, providing individuals with new opportunities to diversify their portfolios and participate in the burgeoning blockchain ecosystem in El Salvador.
