Tether has injected $20 million into Mercado Bitcoin, Latin America's largest cryptocurrency exchange, to fuel the platform's expansion in tokenized asset issuance and stablecoin payments.
Mercado Bitcoin's Growth Trajectory
Founded in 2013, Mercado Bitcoin has evolved from a simple trading platform into a regulated financial services provider. Its current operations include tokenized assets, lending, stablecoin transactions, and cross-border payments. The exchange recently surpassed 4.5 million users and has issued over 2 billion Brazilian reals (approximately $370 million) in tokenized assets. Mercado Bitcoin holds about 12 licenses across Brazil and Europe, including a payment institution license from the Central Bank of Brazil.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino noted that with its licensing, tokenization infrastructure, and integrated services, Mercado Bitcoin has become one of the most comprehensive regulated on-chain finance platforms in Latin America. In February, the exchange launched over $20 million in private credit assets on Rootstock, a Bitcoin sidechain, to enable more secure and programmable financial products.
Tether's Investment Strategy
This investment aligns with Tether Investments' broader strategy of backing companies building blockchain-based financial infrastructure. Tether, the issuer of USDT—the world's largest stablecoin with roughly $184 billion in circulation—reported a net profit of about $1.04 billion in Q1 2026. Those resources have fueled several strategic moves. In April, Tether participated in a $134 million funding round for Stablecoin Development Corporation. In May, it invested in LemFi, a payment platform enabling USDT settlements in cross-border corridors in Africa and Asia. Tether also announced plans to develop a Georgian lari-pegged stablecoin with the government of Georgia.
Beyond stablecoins, Tether's investment arm targets artificial intelligence, energy, biotech, and digital media. Despite market speculation, CEO Paolo Ardoino has stated that the company has no plans to go public.