Tether is putting $20 million into Mercado Bitcoin as the two firms push to accelerate on-chain finance across Latin America.
In a strategic financing round announced Tuesday, the stablecoin issuer said the capital will help Mercado Bitcoin — Brazil’s largest crypto exchange turned full-stack financial platform — scale its payments and tokenization ambitions across the region.
Mercado Bitcoin, founded in 2013, has expanded beyond spot trading into tokenized investment products, credit and lending, stablecoin-powered payments, banking infrastructure, and cross-border services. The firm says it serves 4.5 million users, has issued more than 2 billion reais (roughly $387 million) in tokenized assets, and holds over 10 regulatory licenses across Brazil and Europe, including a payment institution license from Brazil’s central bank.
“Tether’s mission is to build open, accessible, and efficient financial infrastructure for the world,” Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said, calling Mercado Bitcoin “a regulated, full‑stack on‑chain financial platform” with unmatched licensing and tokenization capabilities in Latin America. He added that Tether will support the company’s next growth phase as a strategic partner and investor.
Mercado Bitcoin’s chairman and CEO Roberto Dagnoni framed the investment as a boost to an already ongoing shift: “The discussion is no longer whether finance will move on‑chain. That transition is already underway.” He said the new funding will accelerate the buildout of infrastructure for tokenization, stablecoins, payments, and on‑chain capital markets in Brazil and beyond.
According to the announcement, the $20 million will be directed toward:
- expanding payments infrastructure;
- scaling tokenized investment products for retail and institutional investors;
- growing lending capabilities;
- advancing on‑chain capital markets; and
- pursuing international expansion.
The deal underscores growing strategic collaboration between major stablecoin issuers and regional crypto platforms as they seek to convert high demand for digital finance in Latin America into regulated, on‑chain services.
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