Tether, the issuer of the USDT stablecoin, invests $20 million in Brazil-based digital assets platform Mercado Bitcoin, according to multiple outlets. The funding is described as R$100 million (about $20 million) and is presented as the first closing of a larger Series C financing round. Reporting indicates that Mercado Bitcoin’s founders and Japan’s SoftBank also participate in the broader round, while Tether’s contribution is the initial $20 million investment.
Sources say Mercado Bitcoin will use the funds to support expansion of its regulated digital financial services, with an emphasis on payments infrastructure and tokenized finance. Coverage describes Mercado Bitcoin as having evolved from an early crypto exchange into a broader platform for regulated financial services, and frames the investment within a wider trend toward tokenization and blockchain-powered financial services in Latin America.
Tether and Mercado Bitcoin characterize the investment as part of Tether’s ongoing efforts to back financial infrastructure and promote access in high-growth markets, while also positioning Brazil as an active ecosystem for digital asset adoption and related services.
