Tether Invests $20 Million in Brazil’s Mercado Bitcoin as USDT Retreats From Europe

Tether has committed $20 million to a strategic growth financing round for Mercado Bitcoin, Latin America's largest onchain financial services platform. The deal deepens Tether's exposure to Brazil at a time when its flagship stablecoin, USDT, faces regulatory pressure in the European Union under new licensing rules.

Mercado Bitcoin started as a digital asset exchange in 2013 and has evolved into a full-stack financial platform spanning trading, tokenized investment products, credit and lending, stablecoin-powered payments, and cross-border services. The company serves 4.5 million users, has issued over R$2 billion ($370 million) in tokenized assets, and holds more than ten licenses across Brazil and Europe, including a Payment Institution license from Brazil's central bank.

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino stated that Mercado Bitcoin has built exactly what the market needs: a regulated, full-stack on-chain financial platform serving millions across one of the world's most dynamic financial markets. Mercado Bitcoin chairman and CEO Roberto Dagnoni said the capital will support expansion of payments infrastructure, tokenized investment offerings, lending, on-chain capital markets, and continued international growth.

The investment arrives just three days after the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation took effect, prompting Tether to distance USDT from the region. This move underscores Tether's strategic pivot toward emerging markets with clearer regulatory frameworks and growing demand for on-chain financial services.