- Tether backed Mercado Bitcoin with fresh funding to expand payments, lending and tokenized investments.
- Mercado Bitcoin serves 4.5 million users and has issued more than R$2 billion in tokenized assets.
- The deal reflects growing interest in Brazil’s regulated digital asset and blockchain finance market.
Tether has invested $20 million in a funding round for Brazilian crypto platform Mercado Bitcoin, marking its latest investment in Latin America’s growing digital asset market.
The companies announced the investment on July 7, saying the funding will help Mercado Bitcoin expand payments, lending, tokenized investments and capital markets as demand for blockchain-based financial services grows across the region.
Mercado Bitcoin confirmed separately that the funding round raised R$100 million through its parent company, 2TM. The investment comes as Brazil continues to strengthen its position as one of Latin America’s leading markets for regulated digital assets and blockchain innovation.
Mercado Bitcoin Expands Financial Services
Founded in 2013 as a cryptocurrency exchange, Mercado Bitcoin has since expanded into a broader digital finance platform. The company now offers crypto trading, tokenized investments, lending, banking services, stablecoin payments and cross-border transfers.
The company serves about 4.5 million users and has issued more than R$2 billion worth of tokenized assets. Mercado Bitcoin operates under more than 10 regulatory licenses across Brazil and Europe, including a Payment Institution license from Brazil’s central bank. It is also licensed to provide broker-dealer, securitization and asset management services.
“Tether’s mission is to build open, accessible, and efficient financial infrastructure for the world,” said Paolo Ardoino, Chief Executive Officer of Tether. “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.”
Investment Targets Long-Term Growth
The company said the new capital will be used to expand payment infrastructure, grow tokenized investment products, strengthen lending operations and develop on-chain capital markets. It also plans to pursue new partnerships and expand internationally.
Roberto Dagnoni, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mercado Bitcoin, said, “The discussion is no longer whether finance will move on-chain. That transition is already underway.” He added that the investment strengthens the company’s ability to accelerate the next generation of blockchain-based financial services.
Tether Deepens Latin America Strategy
The investment adds to Tether’s recent expansion in Latin America. Earlier this year, the stablecoin issuer led Belo’s $14 million Series A funding round and invested in Adecoagro as it broadened its presence in digital payments and tokenized assets.
Mercado Bitcoin has also expanded its partnerships, including collaborations with Ripple and Mastercard in Brazil. Separately, Bloomberg reported that former Chief Investment Officer Richard Heathcote plans to sell part of his 1.26% stake in the company.
Related: Why Institutional Capital Is Becoming More Selective in Crypto
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