Tether Invests $20 Million in Brazilian Crypto Exchange Mercado Bitcoin to Bolster Latin American Expansion
Tether, a prominent issuer of stablecoins, announced Tuesday it will invest $20 million in a strategic financing round for Mercado Bitcoin, a Brazilian cryptocurrency exchange. The move signals a joint effort by both companies to expand blockchain-based financial services throughout Latin America.
Founded in 2013, Mercado Bitcoin has evolved from a digital asset exchange into a comprehensive financial platform. Its offerings now include trading, tokenized investment products, credit and lending services, stablecoin-powered payments, banking infrastructure, and cross-border solutions. The company reports serving 4.5 million users, having issued over 2 billion Brazilian reais (approximately $387 million) in tokenized assets, and holding more than 10 licenses in Brazil and Europe, including a payment institution license from Brazil’s central bank.
Strategic Partnership for On-Chain Finance
Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, stated in a release, “Tether’s mission is to build open, accessible, and efficient financial infrastructure for the world. Mercado Bitcoin has built exactly that, a regulated, full-stack on-chain financial platform serving millions of users across one of the world’s most dynamic financial markets.” He further commented on the exchange’s capabilities, noting, “Its depth of regulatory licensing, tokenization infrastructure, and integrated financial services is unmatched in Latin America. We look forward to supporting Mercado Bitcoin’s next phase of growth as a strategic partner and investor.”
Funding Fuels Expansion and Innovation
The newly acquired capital is earmarked for several key initiatives, including the expansion of payment infrastructure, scaling tokenized investment products for both retail and institutional investors, enhancing lending capabilities, advancing on-chain capital markets, and pursuing international growth.
Roberto Dagnoni, Chairman and CEO of Mercado Bitcoin, emphasized the ongoing shift in finance, stating, “The discussion is no longer whether finance will move on-chain. That transition is already underway. The focus now is on building the infrastructure that will support tokenization, stablecoins, payments, and capital markets at scale, reshaping how money moves, investments are accessed, and capital is deployed.” He added, “Mercado Bitcoin has spent more than a decade building the regulated foundation for this future, and this investment strengthens our ability to accelerate the next generation of on-chain financial services in Brazil and across global markets.”
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