Latin America is having a moment in fintech — and I don’t think the rest of the world fully realizes it yet.
I’ve spent years working at the intersection of crypto, payments, and growth across the region. From the P2P crypto days at Paxful to now leading growth for BitJem across Latam, I’ve had a front-row seat to something remarkable: a continent leapfrogging legacy financial infrastructure in real time.
The numbers tell part of the story
Over 70% of Latin Americans are either unbanked or underbanked. That’s not a problem — it’s an opportunity. When there’s no incumbent to displace, the best product wins. Mobile-first, crypto-native, and payment-forward solutions aren’t fighting legacy habits here. They’re building from scratch.
But the culture tells the rest
What makes Latam unique isn’t just the size of the opportunity. It’s the urgency. When your currency loses 50% of its value in a year (as has happened repeatedly across the region), you don’t need to convince people that alternatives are worth exploring. The demand is already there.
I’ve seen this firsthand. Bitcoin adoption in Venezuela, Colombia, and Argentina isn’t driven by speculative investors — it’s driven by people solving real problems with the best tools available.
What I’m watching in 2026
A few trends I’m tracking closely:
- Agentic payments — AI systems that can transact on your behalf, with the right guardrails
- Stablecoin rails — replacing correspondent banking for cross-border transfers
- Identity-first fintech — building trust without traditional credit histories
The builders who understand both the tech and the cultural context of Latam are the ones who will win. That’s where I’m focused.
Have thoughts on Latam fintech? I’d love to hear from you — lucas@lucasvelasquez.com