Argentina, known for its burgeoning crypto market, has embraced Bitcoin adoption with the launch of the ByBit card.
The country leads the Western Hemisphere in crypto acceptance, driven by a staggering 276% annual inflation rate, as Forbes highlights.
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are more prevalent in Argentina than anywhere else in the region, with 2.5 million out of 130 million global visitors to top exchanges originating from the country, per SimilarWeb. In December 2023, Argentina made Bitcoin a legal tender, following in the footsteps of El Salvador.
Since Javier Milei’s election in December, Argentina’s affinity for Bitcoin has surged, making it a key market for Binance, accounting for 6.9% of total web traffic to the exchange, SimilarWeb notes.
A distinctive trait of Argentine crypto investors is their preference for US dollar-backed stablecoins, such as USDT. Maximiliano Hin, Head of Latin America at Bitget, noted this unique market behavior, highlighting the country’s focus on dollar stability.
Australia’s central bank has decided to prioritize the development of a wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC) over a retail version.
Circle has announced that it will now support local bank transfers for USDC in Mexico and Brazil, using the countries’ real-time payment systems PIX and SPEI.
CEX.io, a centralized cryptocurrency exchange, has unveiled a new integration with financial services firm MoneyGram and the Stellar blockchain.
Fintech giant Revolut is planning to launch its own stablecoin. Sources indicate that Revolut, which recently secured a U.K. banking license and was valued at $45 billion earlier this year, is progressing well with this initiative.