Adoption of digital assets in Latin America is growing, with more users now converting funds to stablecoins than to Bitcoins — a shift that reflects increasing pressure from local economic conditions.
According to Bitso 2025 report In terms of crypto adoption in Latin America, 40% of crypto purchases in 2025 were USD-pegged stablecoins such as Tether’s USDt (USDT) and Circle’s USDC (USDC), while Bitcoin (BTC) accounted for 18%. The report marks the first time stablecoin purchases have surpassed Bitcoin in the region.
The findings are based on data from Bitso’s nearly 10 million retail users on its exchange platform.
The trend reflects a broader shift toward what the Latin American crypto exchange has described as “digital dollarization.” In countries facing prolonged inflation, currency depreciation and limited access to traditional banking, stablecoins offer a relatively affordable way to store value and transact in US dollar equivalents.
Although the US dollar itself is not immune to inflation, it tends to depreciate more slowly than many local currencies and remains the world’s dominant medium of exchange, making it an attractive benchmark for users seeking stability.
The most purchased property in 2025 in Latin America. Source: Bitso
The global stablecoin market has grown to approximately $320 billion, with adoption expanding in both developed and emerging economies. Their regional appeal in Latin America is particularly practical: users rely on stablecoins to preserve savings, pay and send cross-border remittances.
The use of native stablecoins benefits from expansion. Brazilian retail giant Mercado Libre launched a cross-border remittance product using the Meli dollar stablecoin for users in Brazil, Mexico and Chile in early April, Cointelegraph Brasil reported. This comes after the retailer stopped issuing its own stablecoin, Mercado Coin, earlier this year.
Related: Visa adds support for Polygon, Base as stablecoin settlement rate hits $7 billion
Bitcoin remains dominant as a store of value
While bitcoin purchases have declined as a share of overall activity, the Bitso report shows that the asset continues to play a central role as a long-term savings vehicle in Latin America.
“Bitcoin continues to function as the primary long-term digital store of value in Latin America,” the report said, noting that the cryptocurrency is in 52% of crypto portfolios across the region in 2025. That’s only a slight decrease from 53% the previous year.
Bitcoin has long been viewed as a store of value, despite periods of volatility and uneven performance compared to previous market cycles. The asset rose above $126,000 in October before pulling back sharply, with prices later trading in the low $60,000 range.
Recently research from index maker MarketVector reframes the store-of-value story beyond price performance alone, arguing that Bitcoin and gold share fundamental characteristics, including scarcity, decentralization and resistance to supply expansion, that underpin their long-term value.
A Comparison of Bitcoin Price Performance, Volatility and Decline Since Inception. Source: MarketVector Indexes
Related: Is Bitcoin Bottoming Against Gold? The price of BTC will reach $167k in 2027 if history repeats itself
