According to Forte, a member of the Cuban Bitcoin community, the recent decision by the Central Bank of Cuba to grant licenses for the use of virtual assets in cross-border payments has several positive implications for the business sector.
Resolution 4/2026, issued on March 23, 2026, licenses 10 companies – nine MSMEs and one mixed-use enterprise – to use virtual assets, which experts say is a “very cautious” but regulatory step forward.
Conversation with CriptoNoticias. Forte points out that the restrictions do not constitute a general opening and do not change the daily reality of the majority of the population, but it does change. facilitate the legal operation of certain companies that previously operated within a framework of uncertainty; Or informally.
This decision is therefore being interpreted as a logical continuation of the 2021 regulations that clearly recognized virtual assets. Emphasizes control rather than promoting development.
“I wasn’t surprised at all,” he said, recalling the suspicions raised by incidents such as the 2021 Trust Investment Scheme, which created mistrust among both the public and the authorities.
However, in the current economic scenario, characterized by high inflation and an unofficial dollar that far exceeds its official value, cryptocurrencies have emerged as a practical tool. positive impact Mainly focused on small and medium-sized enterprises authorized.
Thanks to these licenses, certain companies will be able to receive payments from abroad and make international remittances in a legal and more agile way, while circumventing the strict restrictions imposed by US financial sanctions.
“Sanctions make it extremely difficult to transact with banks, receive money transfers, and use payment platforms,” Forte said. In this scenario, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies cease to be just an informal solution and become a legal and more efficient channel for some regulated parties.
But experts say this is a selective and controlled permission; Very specific operations through authorized suppliers and is subject to strict oversight and reporting mechanisms. Free use of self-custodial wallets and decentralized tools is not permitted.
This distinction between a regulated business environment and personal use is important. While there is now a legal framework for businesses, ordinary Cubans have long solved everyday problems using solutions created by the community itself. Examples include the LaChispa Lightning wallet, the Mostro Kmbalache P2P node, and the Mint or ElCaju wallets.
Forte compares Cuba’s process to that in other countries in the region, such as El Salvador, where adoptions take place. Faster and development-oriented.
But in Cuba, the motive is seems more practical than ideological: The need to maintain international economic flows in the face of banking isolation. “It’s more of a necessity than an ideological decision,” he sums up. In other words, Mr. Forte sees this measure as a positive, albeit limited, move.
This will help certain companies operate more normally in the global economy and officially recognize the usefulness of virtual assets in cross-border payments. However, it does not materially change the way the majority of Cubans already use Bitcoin in an autonomous and decentralized manner.
“While it may make certain tasks easier for corporate groups, it is unlikely to significantly change the way the majority of people already use cryptocurrencies in practice,” Forte concluded.
(Tag translation) Cryptocurrency
