Stablecoin issuer Tether is expanding its footprint across Latin America through investments in financial platforms, payment infrastructure and productive assets, signalling a broader strategy to embed its dollar-backed token in the region's financial and commercial economy.
The issuer of the USDT stablecoin has been deploying capital in financial services, digital-asset infrastructure and productive assets across Latin America as it seeks a deeper role in the region's economy.
Its portfolio in the region includes a controlling stake in agricultural producer Adecoagro, a $20mn financing commitment to Brazil's Mercado Bitcoin and an undisclosed investment in institutional digital-asset platform Parfin. The company was also reported this week to have invested $20mn in Argentine-founded digital bank Ualá.
The latest sign of Tether's regional expansion came from the Bolivian government announcing in early July a review of whether to incorporate USDT into the country's payment system.
The expansion in Latin America comes as the company has declined to seek authorisation for USDT under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets rules, prompting major platforms including Coinbase, Kraken and Crypto.com to restrict or delist the stablecoin for European users.
Financial platforms anchor expansion
Bolivia is assessing whether USDT could enter its national payments system alongside the boliviano and US dollar. The proposal follows a shortage of physical dollars and growing stablecoin use for payments and savings.
Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a stable value, usually against the US dollar. In Bolivia, virtual-asset transactions reached $430mn in the 12 months after restrictions were lifted in June 2024, as residents increasingly used stablecoins for payments, savings and access to dollars. Officials have said any adoption would require stronger anti-money laundering controls.
The move reflects the practical role of digital dollars across the region. Chainalysis estimated that Latin America recorded nearly $1.5tn in cryptocurrency transaction volume between July 2022 and June 2025. Stablecoins also accounted for more than half of exchange purchases made with Argentine pesos, Brazilian reais and Colombian pesos during the final year of that period.
Tether's $20mn investment in Ualá will support the bank's expansion across the region, with plans targeting Argentina, Mexico and Colombia. The investment was part of a $197mn financing round announced in March by Ualá.
Regional demand shapes strategy
Tether is taking a similar approach in Brazil. Its investment in Mercado Bitcoin, announced earlier this month, will support tokenization, payments, lending and onchain capital markets. The platform serves 4.5mn users and has issued more than R$2bn in tokenized assets.
The strategy also extends beyond finance. Tether acquired a 70% stake in Adecoagro in April 2025, gaining exposure to crops, dairy, sugar, ethanol and renewable energy across Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.
The portfolio links Tether to economies where USDT already circulates. Latin America is becoming more than a distribution market for the stablecoin. It is also becoming a destination for capital generated by its use. That capital is increasingly moving into regulated regional businesses and infrastructure.
