BCRA President Says Lifting Currency Controls for Companies Is Not a Priority - Infobae | 18/05/26

The president of the Central Bank of Argentina (BCRA), Santiago Bausili, stated that lifting the remaining foreign exchange restrictions affecting companies is not a priority and said the current framework “could remain as it is,” distinguishing corporate entities from individuals, who have been able to freely purchase dollars since April 2025. During the presentation of the Monetary Policy Report, Bausili explained that the institution’s main concern is focused on the functioning of the external sector and foreign trade rather than enabling companies to hold dollars for savings purposes, defending the current system by noting that exports remain at record levels, imports are operating smoothly, and companies have already transferred US$1.6 billion in dividends to parent companies this year, which he described as a sign of normalization. He also argued that the parallel market is legal and that companies can manage working capital in dollars by choosing between different financial markets, describing Argentina’s system as more flexible than those of other regional countries. Additionally, he confirmed that negotiations to renew the currency swap agreement with China are continuing under the same terms and downplayed risks related to carry trade operations, considering speculative short-term capital participation in the local market to be marginal. Link to Article