Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2021 
María Cristina Salas-Díaz is a banking and financial regulatory lawyer advising financial institutions, fintech companies, and wealth management firms on complex licensing, structuring, and cross-border regulatory matters. Her practice focuses on the formation and operation of regulated financial institutions—including international banking and financial entities, broker-dealers, investment advisers, money services businesses (MSBs), and finance companies—as well as emerging fintech and digital asset platforms.
She advises clients throughout the full lifecycle of financial services businesses, from initial structuring and regulatory approvals to ongoing compliance, corporate governance, and mergers and acquisitions. Her experience includes bank charters, licensing, regulatory applications, bank-fintech partnerships, Federal Reserve master accounts and access to payment systems, BSA/AML and OFAC compliance, and regulatory strategy for fintech, payments, and digital asset platforms.
María Cristina also advises on mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganizations, securities offerings, structured finance transactions, and private equity fund structuring involving regulated entities and multinational companies. She regularly counsels founders, investors, and financial institutions on the establishment and expansion of regulated financial services operations in Puerto Rico and broader cross-border markets.
With over 20 years of experience, María Cristina has advised U.S. and international clients across North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia on complex regulatory, compliance, and transactional matters involving financial services businesses. Her experience includes representing financial institutions before Puerto Rico banking regulators in licensing, supervisory, and compliance matters, as well as structuring fintech and digital asset platforms involving payment, custody, and licensing frameworks.
Prior to commencing her legal career, María Cristina was a Senior Auditor at PwC (Miami) and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), bringing a strong technical foundation in financial reporting, accounting, and risk analysis to her legal practice.
She is recognized for advising financial institutions and fintech companies entering Puerto Rico, particularly in connection with the regulatory structuring and licensing of complex platforms. She is noted for her ability to align regulatory requirements with business objectives, especially in emerging areas such as digital assets and payment systems.
