Why Latin America Might Leapfrog the U.S. in Self-Custody Adoption

Latin America has emerged as a global hotspot for cryptocurrency adoption, driven by economic necessity rather than speculative hype. Inflation, remittance demands, and mobile-first financial behaviors have transformed crypto into a critical tool for financial survival. The region's unique conditions position it to potentially outpace the U.S. in mainstream self-custody adoption.

Savings in local currencies often evaporate overnight due to inflation, making self-custody wallets essential for preserving value through stablecoins or crypto assets. As one of the world's largest remittance corridors, Latin America benefits from crypto's ability to streamline cross-border payments—eliminating fees, delays, and intermediaries.

The region's leapfrog over traditional banking infrastructure directly into mobile finance creates fertile ground for self-custody solutions. Unlike the U.S., where crypto remains largely an investment vehicle, Latin American users treat it as economic infrastructure. This fundamental difference in urgency accelerates adoption.

Bitso, the region's dominant crypto platform, recently signaled this shift with a major push toward onchain solutions. The MOVE underscores how Latin America's financial realities are driving innovation faster than in markets constrained by legacy systems.