A. M. 
Personal or consumer loans are the most common type of financing used in El Salvador. According to data from the Banco Central de Reserva (BCR), 54.9% of loans granted are of this type, according to the results of the 2025 Financial Inclusion and Education Survey. The data reflects that more than half of those who take out a loan do so to cover immediate household needs and daily expenses.
The study indicates that only 23% of the population currently has a loan or credit line, showing that access to formal financing remains limited. However, among those who do use credit, personal loans stand out as the primary financial tool.
What are personal loans used for?
The BCR survey details that the most frequent use of personal or consumer loans is related to household and housing needs. 35.6% of people who accessed this type of credit used it to buy, remodel, or expand their homes, reflecting the importance of credit as a support for improving living conditions.
Another 19.6% indicated that the loan was used to cover emergencies or unforeseen expenses, while 17.1% used it for food, personal payments, or basic services. This data demonstrates that consumer credit plays a key role in addressing urgent situations or covering essential needs.
Likewise, 13.6% used the loan to expand or start a business, showing that, although not its primary use, personal credit also becomes an alternative for productive activities when specialized financing is unavailable.
Other uses of consumer credit
Among the less frequent uses, 10% indicated they used the loan to pay off other debt, 6.5% for health expenses, and 4.7% for education expenses. Smaller percentages were also recorded for vehicle repairs (3.3%), tuition payments (1.7%), agricultural crops (1.7%), cell phone purchases (1.3%), vacations or celebrations (1.0%), and the purchase of animals as an investment (0.3%).
Other types of loans
In addition to personal loans, the BCR survey shows that 18.3% of loans are for business or productive activities, while 16.6% are for housing. Smaller proportions include installment loans with interest (3.6%), interest-free installment purchases (2.6%), zero-interest credit card financing (1.0%), and student loans (1.0%).
Implications for financial inclusión
The results of the 2025 Financial Inclusion and Education Survey show that personal loans are the primary gateway to formal financing for the population. However, the BCR points out that the predominance of this type of loan highlights the need to strengthen access to productive and long-term credit, which would foster entrepreneurship, investment, and sustainable economic growth.
While consumer credit plays an important role in meeting immediate needs, the challenge for the financial system is to expand the range of products adapted to the diverse realities of the population, promoting responsible credit use and greater financial literacy.
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