Stablecoins in Brazil and LatAm: Payments, Inclusion and Regulation

Stablecoins in Brazil and LatAm: payments, inclusion and regulation

Overview

Why are stablecoins so special and what do they change in Latin America? In this MERGE Madrid panel, moderated by the Brazilian crypto assets companies association, Avenia (issuer of the BRLA stablecoin), Nuvei, Anchorage Digital and a cross-border payments company analyze the role of stablecoins in payments, financial inclusion, local stablecoins, tokenization (RWA), risks and regulation.

What you'll learn

• Why they are special: wallets and transfers versus legacy complexity
• A stablecoin's stack: custody, distribution, liquidity and conversion
• Financial inclusion: storing value, sending remittances and getting paid 24/7
• Local stablecoins: why they are needed alongside the dollar (USDT/USDC)
• Tokenization (RWA): stablecoins as the bridge to tokenized assets
• Risks and regulation: volatility, interoperability, MiCA and the Genius Act

Session summary

Why they are special: Avenia explains that, versus the multitude of traditional account types and payment methods, in stablecoins “it's all wallets and transfers,” which standardizes development and lets any company be global from day one.

The full stack: Anchorage Digital (an OCC-chartered crypto bank) stresses that a stablecoin is not just a payment rail: you must consider custody, distribution and liquidity, and conversion to fiat; the company offers stablecoin issuance “as a service” (with cited partnerships to issue Genius Act-compliant stablecoins).

Financial inclusion: Nuvei highlights the social impact: millions of people with volatile currencies (Argentina, Venezuela) buy dollar stablecoins to store value, send remittances and pay, often as their main “bank.”

Local stablecoins and RWA: Avenia explains that the dollar has instant fit, but local currencies respond to business cases (for example, a foreign company that needs balances in reais), and that stablecoins are the bridge from the fiat world to tokenized assets (RWA).

Risks and regulation: the panel addresses volatility (local stablecoins inherit their currency's), cross-chain interoperability, cybersecurity and, above all, the challenge of regulation keeping pace with the market, with the Genius Act (US), MiCA and upcoming rules in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia or Argentina as references.

Watch the full talk

Watch the full recording on MERGE's YouTube channel, with Avenia, Nuvei and Anchorage Digital on stablecoins in Brazil and LatAm.

FAQs

Why are stablecoins important in LatAm?
According to the talk, they let people store value against volatile currencies, send remittances and make faster, cheaper cross-border payments, boosting financial inclusion.

What are local stablecoins for?
According to the talk, for business cases (such as holding balances in local currency) and as a base layer for financial services and on-chain tokenization.

What should you look at when issuing or using a stablecoin?
According to the talk, custody, distribution and liquidity, and conversion to fiat: the full “stack,” not just the payment rail.

Is this investment advice?
No. This content is informational and summarizes what was presented in the panel; it does not constitute investment or legal advice. Consult a professional for your specific situation.