Downtown San Salvador.
According to the Central Reserve Bank (BCR), year-to-date remittances to El Salvador have reached $1,406.4 million—an increase of 14.2% or $175.1 million compared to the same period in 2024.
In February, Salvadorans received $729.3 million in remittances, marking a 15.5% increase—$97.8 million more than in February of the previous year. This growth highlights the continued importance of remittances to the country’s economy.
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Change 2024-2025 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 423.8 | 522.3 | 560.3 | 602.2 | 599.9 | 677.1 | 77.3 (12.9%) |
| February | 448.5 | 510.2 | 579.9 | 612.8 | 631.5 | 729.3 | 97.8 (15.5%) |
| March | 435.4 | 688.2 | 685.1 | 721.9 | 688.4 | ||
| April | 287.3 | 648.0 | 648.7 | 672.6 | 749.4 | ||
| May | 414.4 | 688.7 | 706.9 | 761.4 | 763.8 | ||
| June | 508.1 | 627.1 | 637.9 | 695.2 | 669.1 | ||
| July | 553.1 | 632.7 | 642.4 | 699.5 | 714.0 | ||
| August | 559.3 | 621.5 | 654.9 | 682.8 | 709.1 | ||
| September | 553.4 | 600.9 | 628.1 | 674.1 | 683.1 | ||
| October | 575.4 | 652.7 | 674.1 | 694.5 | 732.4 | ||
| November | 519.4 | 632.3 | 631.9 | 657.8 | 706.3 | ||
| December | 651.6 | 760.7 | 769.5 | 800.7 | 832.7 | ||
| Totals | 5929.9 | 7585.2 | 7819.6 | 8275.4 | 8479.7 | 1406.4 | 14.2% *YTD |
| Average | 494.2 | 632.1 | 651.6 | 689.6 | 706.6 | 703.2 |
Year to date, remittances from the United States total $1,303.0 million, accounting for 92.6% of total remittances.
Canada follows with $12.7 million (0.9%), Spain ranks third with $9.2 million (0.7%), and Italy ranks fourth with $8.7 million (0.6%).
Crypto Wallet Remittances to El Salvador
As of February 2025, remittances sent through cryptocurrency wallets to El Salvador totaled $4.7 million down 64.0% from the same period in 2024.
According to the Central Reserve Bank, this represents a $8.4 million decrease year-over-year.
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Change 2024-2025 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | — | 10.1 | 8.4 | 6.8 | 2.4 | -4.3 (-64.0%) |
| February | — | 9.4 | 7.6 | 6.4 | 2.3 | -4.1 (-64.0) |
| March | — | 9.8 | 8.5 | 8.0 | ||
| April | — | 10.1 | 7.5 | 7.7 | ||
| May | — | 12.6 | 7.7 | 6.8 | ||
| June | — | 11.5 | 7.0 | 6.8 | ||
| July | — | 10.4 | 6.5 | 7.2 | ||
| August | — | 10.9 | 6.3 | 7.7 | ||
| September | 2.0 | 10.8 | 6.0 | 7.2 | ||
| October | 17.9 | 10.2 | 5.4 | 7.2 | ||
| November | 12.3 | 10.7 | 5.5 | 6.6 | ||
| December | 12.4 | 10.3 | 6.6 | 7.2 | ||
| Totals | 44.6 | 126.7 | 82.9 | 85.5 | 4.7 | -8.4 (-64.0% *YTD |
| Monthly Average | 11.1 | 10.6 | 6.9 | 7.1 | 2.4 |
SEE ALSO: El Salvador Bitcoins: A Nation’s Journey into Digital Currency
Salvadorans are not using Crypto wallets to send remittances to the country. For example, El Salvador received more crypto remittances in 2024 than in 2023; however, they made up just 1.0% of the total.
Crypto remittances have declined further in 2025 following recent changes to El Salvador’s original cryptocurrency laws. So far this year, crypto wallet remittances account for just 0.3% of total remittances.
SEE ALSO: Analyzing Poverty in El Salvador: An Insight Into El Salvador’s Poverty Rate!
Remittances by Department
So far in 2025, the San Salvador department leads in remittances, receiving 1904% of the total, amounting to $267.5 million.
Meanwhile, at the lower end, the Cuscatlán department accounts for 2.9% of the total, equivalent to $40.9 million in remittances.
- San Salvador 267.5
- San Miguel 158.4
- La Libertad 122.3
- Santa Ana 111.1
- Usulután 103.3
- La Unión 96.9
- Chalatenango 80.8
- Sonsonate 71.9
- Morazán 61.3
- Cabañas 62.4
- La Paz 59.1
- Ahuachapán 58.0
- San Vicente 48.1
- Cuscatlán 40.9
Remittances by Municipalities
The San Salvador Center municipality has received the most remittances this year, totaling $159.0 million (11.3%). On the other hand, the Sonsonate North Municipality has received the lowest with $6.1 million (0.4%).
Top Five Municipalities
- San Salvador Center $159.0
- San Miguel Center $98.6
- San Salvador East $56.8
- Usulután East $54.8
- La Unión North $50.7
Bottom Five Municipalities
- San Salvador South $11.9
- Chalatenango North $10.4
- Santa Ana East $7.5
- Ahuachapan North $7.0
- Sonsonate North $6.1
Remittances sent to Salvadorans are pivotal in the nation’s economy, providing vital financial support to many families.
Data from the Multiple Purpose Household Survey (EHPM), published by the Salvadoran Ministry of Economy, indicates that 1.6 million Salvadorans benefit from remittances. Many of these people are in extreme poverty or relative poverty.
Remittances have increased steadily in the last decade; they are a big part of El Salvador’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
