Bolivia is assessing whether to add Tether’s USDT to its national payments system, according to CoinDesk, in a policy shift tied to the country’s shortage of U.S. dollars.
On July 13, 2026, Economy Minister José Gabriel Espinoza said at a press conference that the proposal is in the technical evaluation stage. The government is studying a framework that would allow USDT to circulate domestically alongside the boliviano and the U.S. dollar. Espinoza also said the plan would not give USDT legal tender status.
Dollar shortage drives the review
Bolivia’s consideration of a stablecoin-based payment rail comes as the country deals with a prolonged shortage of dollars. Earlier this year, Bolivia ended its 15-year fixed exchange rate system for the U.S. dollar, pushing the market toward a floating rate. With dollars harder to access, residents and businesses have been looking for other ways to pay and settle transactions.
Crypto activity rose sharply after the Central Bank of Bolivia lifted restrictions on crypto transactions in June 2024. Central bank figures cited in the report showed crypto trading volume in the first half of 2024 rising from $46.5 million to $294 million, up 630% from a year earlier. Annual trading volume reached a record $430 million.
State entities have already tested crypto use
Bolivia’s public sector had already begun exploring crypto before the latest proposal. Last year, state-owned energy company YPFB said it planned to use cryptocurrency to pay for energy imports. The central bank also sought technical assistance from El Salvador on crypto regulatory frameworks.
In April this year, state-owned Banco Unión and its digital wallet Yasta said they had partnered with EFY Finance to let customers buy USDT for international payments and cross-border remittances. The report said that experience provided a practical foundation for the current proposal to place USDT inside the national payments system.
AML and CFT controls remain central
Espinoza said technical standards are being prepared for banks, digital wallets and payment providers. Still, any wider rollout will have to satisfy international compliance requirements.
Bolivia remains on the Financial Action Task Force gray list, and the government said its next policy focus will be strict anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing controls to prevent the stablecoin infrastructure from being used for illicit activity.