Latin Americans are increasingly leveraging stablecoins and cryptocurrency to mitigate inflation and access banking solutions that are lacking in traditional systems, according to Patricio Mesri, co-CEO of Bybit LATAM.
As individuals in the region pivot towards blockchain-driven services, this trend highlights how crypto plays a critical role beyond mere speculation.
People in Latin America are adopting cryptocurrency to address the inadequacies of their banking systems, enabling digital transactions and even establishing savings accounts denominated in stablecoins.
“LATAM adoption is quite high. People are using stablecoins for daily life, so it’s a whole different market,” Patricio Mesri remarked during an interview at the European Blockchain Convention 2025 in Barcelona. “Crypto is actually changing the lives of people. You see adoption in Argentina, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Mexico increasing rapidly.”
Some innovative applications involve using stablecoins for remittances, bypassing expensive SWIFT fees, and obtaining loans in crypto for significant purchases.
Inflation Pushing Latin America Towards Stablecoins
Countries like Argentina, where annual inflation rates exceed 100%, are experiencing a notable rise in the popularity of US dollar-pegged stablecoins such as USDC and USDt.
In fact, stablecoin transactions represented about 39% of activity on local exchange Bitso, underscoring their rising demand.
The region’s banking challenges are exacerbating systemic inefficiencies, including tech hurdles and high startup costs, stifling investment potential in Latin American markets.
Despite these barriers, the adoption of blockchain-based tools like real-world asset (RWA) tokenization may enhance liquidity in the region. According to a Bitfinex Securities report, tokenized financial products can broaden investor accessibility and significantly reduce costs associated with capital acquisition.
“For decades, businesses and individuals in emerging economies have struggled to access capital through traditional markets,” stated Paolo Ardoino. “Tokenization actively removes these hurdles and can unlock capital more efficiently.”
Additionally, recent surveys highlight that Latin America ranks as the seventh-largest crypto economy globally, trailing regions such as MENA and Eastern Asia.
