Search
Latam Insights: Salvadoran Bitcoin Visa Program Fails; Brazil Floats Tax on Stablecoin Remittances
4.11.2024
Welcome to Latam Insights, a compendium of Latin America’s most relevant crypto and economic news from the past week. In this issue, a public records inquiry reveals contradictions in the reported results for ‘Adopting El Salvador,’ Brazil mulls taxing stablecoin remittances...
Brazilian Central Bank Considers Taxing Stablecoin Remittances
31.10.2024
The stablecoin boom in Brazil has caught the attention of the central bank, which is currently exploring several ways to tax stablecoin remittances, including issuing a special license for crypto exchanges that provide these services. Central Bank of Brazil Explores Tax on Stablecoin-Based...
MoneyGram admits ‘cybersecurity issue’ behind dayslong outage
25.9.2024
MoneyGram’s services have been offline since Sept. 20, with the firm confirming the outage is due to a cybersecurity incident three days later
MoneyGram admits ‘cybersecurity issue’ behind several-day outage
25.9.2024
MoneyGram’s services have been offline since Sept. 20, with the firm confirming three days later that the outage was due to a cybersecurity incident
Central Reserve Bank: Only 1.1% of Remittances Involve Cryptocurrency in El Salvador
24.9.2024
The adoption of cryptocurrency, especially Bitcoin, for remittances has failed to surge in El Salvador, even with the support of President Nayib Bukele’s administration. According to data provided by the Central Reserve Bank, only 1.1% of all remittances sent to the country from January...
Mastercard, Safaricom Partner on Cross-Border Payments
20.9.2024
Mastercard and Safaricom have partnered to improve payment acceptance and cross-border remittances in Kenya. The partnership will benefit over 636,000 merchants using M-Pesa and enable them to serve customers globally. This collaboration will provide faster and more reliable payment solutions...
Lightning Network-Focused Startup Lightspark Sets Its Sights on Latam
19.9.2024
Lightspark hopes to enter Latin America’s cryptocurrency market through its partners in the region, including exchanges like Bitso and fintech institutions like Nubank. Nicolas Cabrera, Lightspark’s vice president of product, explained that the company will focus on targeting Latin...
Stables Money onboards Coins.ph's Philippine peso stablecoin
29.8.2024
Stables Money already has a chunk of the $35 billion Philippine remittance market and will upgrade service with the new stablecoin
Zimbabwe Central Bank Denies Forced Remittance Conversion Claims
17.8.2024
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has denied claims that it intends to force recipients of U.S. dollar-denominated remittances to convert their funds into local currency. The central bank clarified that it has no plans to review its diaspora remittances policy. According to the RBZ, the market...
Canza Finance Partners With Stablecoin Issuer to Bring Efficient Financial Solutions to Africa
4.8.2024
Canza Finance has partnered with stablecoin issuer WSPN to provide secure and efficient financial solutions to users in Africa and other emerging markets. With the integration of WUSD into Canza Finance’s ecosystem, African users will be able to smoothly convert fiat currencies to the WUSD...
Crypto is democratizing investment banking options—Lightspark founder
25.7.2024
Cryptocurrencies will challenge the current banking hegemony layer-by-layer, the speakers noted at the 2024 Bitcoin event in Nashville
Caliza Raises $8.5 Million to Ease Cross Border Payments Using USDC in Latam
17.7.2024
Caliza, a fintech company headquartered in the U.S. but focused on Latam, has raised $8.5 million in a funding round led by Initialized, seeking to expand the reach of its foothold in Brazil. The company offers B2B solutions focusing on USDC, Circle’s regulated stablecoin, providing rails...
Bitso Integrates Lightspark for Bitcoin Lightning Network
17.7.2024
Bitso, a leading Latin American cryptocurrency platform, has announced its partnership with Lightspark to incorporate the Bitcoin Lightning Network into its services. This integration aims to enhance the speed and affordability of bitcoin transactions for Bitso’s users. Bitso Adds Lightning...
Latam Insights: Bukele Goes Chavez Mode Against High Prices, Paraguay Strengthens Power Theft Penalties For Crypto Mining
14.7.2024
Welcome to Latam Insights, a compendium of Latin America’s most relevant crypto and economic news during the last week. In this issue: President Nayib Bukele starts combating price gouging practices in El Salvador a la Chavez, Paraguay enacts penalties of up to 10 years of jail time for power...
Tanzania Fintech Startup Nala Secures $40 Million via Series A Round
11.7.2024
Tanzanian fintech startup Nala recently secured $40 million in a Series A funding round led by San Francisco-based venture capital firm Acrew Capital. The funds will be used to bolster Nala’s business-to-business (B2B) payment platform and support its overall growth plans. New Funding...
Venezuelans Sent Over $460 Million in Remittances Using Crypto in 2023
9.7.2024
The Venezuelan migrant population, now exceeding 7 million, has used crypto to send over $460 million in remittances to the ones left behind in the country. According to Chainalysis, 30% of Venezuelan households received some form of remittance in 2023, with 9% using crypto as rails to reach their...
Crypto remittances in Venezuela surge as economic situation worsens
5.7.2024
Sanctions from the United States, spiraling inflation, and government corruption have created an economic nightmare for Venezuelans
Block Subsidiary, TBD, Partners With Chipper Cash for Quicker, More Affordable Remittances
17.5.2024
TBD, a subsidiary of Block, owned by Jack Dorsey, has formed a partnership with Chipper Cash, an Africa-focused fintech company. This partnership aims to expedite consumer remittances and make them more affordable. According to a statement, Chipper Cash plans to use the decentralized exchange...
Philippines' Central Bank Gives Approval to Coins.ph to Pilot Stablecoin in Key Remittance Market
14.5.2024
Philippines' central bank has given its approval to digital currency exchange Coins.ph to pilot a Philippine Peso backed stablecoin called PHPC, the company said last week
Philippine Central Bank Approves Peso-Pegged Stablecoin for Faster Remittances
13.5.2024
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the central bank of the Philippines, has approved PHPC, a stablecoin pegged to the Philippine peso, aimed at facilitating cost-effective remittances. Crypto exchange Coins.ph, the stablecoin issuer, plans to attract 20,000 to 30,000 users in the first month....