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The salvadoran financial system raised the ratio of liquid assets to total deposits to 16.7% in september 2026, compared to 12.4% in the same month of 2024, according to the Banco Central de Reserva (BCR). The increase reflects greater availability of liquid assets and liquidity reserves, including surpluses,amid conditions the institution describes as stable for the sector’s operations.
According to data from the end of the third quarter of 2026, the indicator rose by 4.3 percentage points over two years. This trend is linked to the prudential policy on regulatory liquidity requirements, which ensures the availability of funds to support financial institutions’ operations and meet their obligations.
Liquidity is a fundamental element of banking stability, as it enables institutions to respond to deposit withdrawal requests and meet their financial commitments. Therefore, maintaining available resources helps strengthen the ability to respond to potential pressures and sustain the functioning of financial intermediation operations.
The BCR also reported that loan balances have grown for more than 36 consecutive months, driven by increased demand for financing from the productive sectors, particularly commerce, services, and construction. The corporate loan portfolio accounts for approximately 53% of total credit, reflecting the weight of these economic activities in the financial system’s lending.
Regarding loan quality, the institution noted that the delinquency rate stood at 1.5%, a level it described as low. This indicator measures the proportion of loans with overdue payments and provides insight into the performance of the loan portfolio. Its trend is relevant for assessing the risks faced by financial institutions when granting financing.
Loans to households also showed positive performance. According to the BCR, the mortgage portfolio recorded year-over-year growth of 8.0%, while the consumer loan portfolio increased by 6.0%. These results demonstrate an expansion in financing for home purchases and other household expenses.
In addition to these indicators, the financial system’s capital adequacy ratio, which, at the end of the third quarter of 2026, exceeded the statutory minimum of 12.0% by more than 300 basis points, is also worth noting. This indicator allows for an assessment of financial institutions’ ability to underpin their operations with equity capital considering the risks they assume.
Taken together, the increase in the proportion of liquid assets to 16.7%, sustained credit growth, the low reported delinquency rate, and capital adequacy levels above the legal minimum are among the indicators the BCR uses to describe the state of the salvadoran financial system. The institution noted that, as of the end of September, the sector continued to operate under stable conditions of liquidity, capital, and profitability.
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