Digital asset regulation would transform the financial market in Panama.

Posted on 2025-03-19

The regulation of digital assets in the Panamanian financial market is on the horizon, promising to revolutionize the way financial assets and instruments such as securities are managed, according to expert Alfredo Muñoz.

During the panel discussion titled "Approach to the Regulation of Digital Assets in Financial Markets," Muñoz stated that the tokenization of these assets seeks to take advantage of the efficiencies of distributed ledger technology, especially blockchain, which allows settlements in a matter of seconds or minutes, rather than the days typically required by traditional processes.

"The implementation of blockchain not only optimizes the speed of settlements, but also allows investors to exercise all their rights in a scheduled manner," Muñoz explained.

He added that this includes the payment of dividends, voting rights, and preferential subscriptions, thus facilitating a more agile and transparent process. Furthermore, real-time supervision becomes a reality, allowing regulators to constantly analyze the market and make informed decisions without waiting for anomalies to emerge.

Regarding the benefits of this regulation, he indicated that they are clear: it achieves greater oversight by authorities, increases efficiencies for investors, and democratizes market access, allowing for smaller investments.

"Tokenization also generates larger pools of liquidity by automating settlements, which in turn allows investments to be customized according to each user's characteristics," he emphasized.

Muñoz asserted that with this growing global trend, Panama is in a strategic position to adopt and regulate the tokenization of digital assets, which could position the country as a leader in financial innovation in the region.

“I believe that Panama is a country that has always been very advanced in the financial market, and perhaps a regulatory push is needed to recognize this technology in the financial market. I think it's time to do so, not recognize this technology, test it, run a pilot program, and assess its efficiencies and, if necessary, generalize its use,” he maintained.

For his part, Sergi Lucas, president of the Panamanian Capital Markets Association (APAMEC), stated that digital assets have gone from

being a futuristic concept to a concrete global reality.

“Perhaps as a country we have failed to interpret this reality, while other nations are already taking advantage of the opportunities these assets present, efficiently integrating them into their financial systems,” Lucas emphasized.