Hola amig@s fintech,

We hope you are having a great end of the week. We invite you to sign up for the TWIF Premium version, and to join our community. Now, the highlights of the week.

🩵Until next weekend. Até a próxima!

• Lorena

🌐 TWIF Community

🗣️ Channels

📊 Stat of the Week 

The fintech market in LatAm reached $13.14 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $49.58 billion by 2033, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.9% from 2025 to 2033 (Source.)

📖  Read of the Week

According to the study "Innovation, Food, and Climate? 763 Startups Are Redesigning Agriculture in LatAm" by Brixton Venture Lab, the region hosts 618 agrifoodtech startups (excluding Brazil), up from 409 the previous year, mapping over 209 new companies. Argentina leads with 28%, followed by Mexico (24%), Chile (12%) and both Colombia and Ecuador at 11%. 

🎙️ Podcast of the Week

💸 Venture Financing

💸 Equity

🇧🇷 QI Tech, the São Paulo-based fintech infrastructure provider, raised $63 million in a Series B extension round led by General Atlantic, with participation from Across Capital. The funds will be used to expand its API-first banking and finance infrastructure, targeting new acquisitions and product development.

💵 Debt 

🇧🇷 Juvo, the São Paulo-based mobile lending platform, raised $25 million through a FIDC (credit rights investment fund) to expand its collateralized credit offerings in Brazil. The funding was coordinated by SRM Ventures, with participation from institutional investors including Itaú Asset Management and EQI Investimentos. 

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☯️ Exits

🤝 M&A - Fintech

🇧🇷 Conta Azul, the Brazilian SMB financial management SaaS platform, was acquired by Visma, the Norwegian enterprise software giant, for approximately $300 million, marking Visma’s strategic expansion into Brazil and its first major deal in the LatAm fintech space. 

🏦 M&A - Banks, Insurers & Incumbents

🇺🇾 BTG Pactual, the Brazilian investment bank, agreed to acquire HSBC’s operations in Uruguay for  $175 million, including equity and additional capital instruments. The acquisition is expected to close (subject to regulatory approval) within 6 to 12 months. 

🚀 Product Launches & Partnerships

💻 Fintech

🇧🇷 FalconX Brazil launched a prime crypto brokerage service, backed by partnerships with BTG Pactual, Latin America’s investment bank, and Mercado Bitcoin, the country’s cryptocurrency exchange.

🇲🇽 Bitso announced the launch of Bitso Onchain, a decentralized exchange (DEX) that integrates token discovery with instant trading across more than 14 blockchains. The progressive rollout is currently underway for select users in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina.

🇧🇷 BitGo announced the launch of a new subsidiary in Brazil, strengthening its international expansion strategy. The move aims to support financial institutions in the region by offering secure digital asset custody and treasury solutions.

🇧🇷 Noh, the Brazilian startup focused on shared finance, announced a strategic partnership with Nomad to support financial planning for couples traveling together. Through Noh’s "shared boxes" feature, users can access pre-designed templates for trip planning, with the first itineraries covering Orlando, Latin America, and Europe.

🇦🇷 Wibond, the Argentinian alternative financing startup, signed an agreement with Universidad Siglo 21 to expand access to over 80 undergraduate and associate degree programs. The partnership also includes more than 30 postgraduate courses and professional training programs, allowing students to pay in 3, 6, or 12 financed installments without the need for a credit card.

🇨🇴 Bink, the Colombian workplace wellness solutions platform, partnered with Pomelo, the Argentinian payment issuing and processing company, to enable companies in Colombia to assign benefits such as food, transportation, education, or equipment through a smart Bink card.

🇧🇷 FictorPay, the Brazilian subsidiary of Grupo Fictor—an established player in the food and grains sector—and Fincoop, the financial arm of Coopercitrus, announced a partnership to deliver B2B financial services to farmers, livestock producers, and retailers within the processed food industry.

🇲🇽 Oxxo Pay, the cash collection tool by Spin Negocios, introduced "Retiro al Instante," a new feature that allows businesses to issue refunds, payments, or cash withdrawals to their customers easily and instantly.

🇦🇷 Mercado Libre Argentina launched a new feature enabling users to buy, sell, and invest official U.S. dollars directly within the app. Available 24/7, the service allows for full dollar management without the need for homebanking, offering greater convenience and accessibility to users. 

🇲🇽 Clara, the Mexican spending management platform, launched a new AI-powered financial assistant to automate cash flow insights, alert generation, and decision-making support for companies. The agent aims to improve efficiency and empower finance teams with real-time data interpretation.

🇲🇽 Finsus, the Mexican digital bank, launched “Finanzas con Expertos,” a digital platform for financial education. The tool offers curated content and expert-led programs to boost financial literacy among underserved users.

🏦 Financial Services & Banking 

🇬🇹 Banco Industrial, the Guatemalan bank, has begun leveraging virtual assets for cross-border remittances via Zigi, its digital banking platform. In partnership with SukuPay, the service is now available between Guatemala and the United States, aiming to streamline remittance flows in the region through blockchain-based infrastructure.

🇨🇴 Banco Agrario launched its new Banca Virtual platform, integrating Llave BAC from Bre-B, Colombia’s real-time payments infrastructure. The new service enables interbank transfers without requiring account numbers, relying solely on the registered alias or key, streamlining user experience and enhancing digital transaction efficiency.

📜 Policy

🇧🇷 Brazil’s National Monetary Council approved Resolution No. 5,238, amending regulations applicable to institutions affiliated with the Credit Guarantee Fund. The measure aims to strengthen financial system security and curb practices that encourage excessive risk-taking.

🇧🇷 Solfácil, the Brazilian solar solutions ecosystem that includes a fintech arm, was authorized by the Central Bank of Brazil to operate as a financial institution. This designation enables Solfácil to raise funds from the public through Bank Deposit Receipts (CDBs), Bank Deposit Certificates, and Bills of Exchange.

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📰 Other News 

🇲🇽 Nicolas Schiaffino was named VP & Country Manager at PayJoy Mexico.

🇲🇽 Miguel Bonilla was named Country Manager at Maxxa.

🇲🇽 Lank, the Mexican platform that enables users to legally share streaming service subscriptions, offers a cost-saving solution for entertainment access. Users can split costs while complying with platform terms, democratizing access to premium content.

🇲🇽 Alibaba Mexico is adapting its Digital Villages model to the LatAm context to boost e-commerce in rural areas. The strategy combines local training, digital literacy, and infrastructure to increase SME participation in cross-border commerce.

🇨🇱 Scala Data Centers, the LatAm hyperscale provider, secured $328 million to expand its data center capacity in Santiago, Chile. The investment will boost digital infrastructure and support regional demand for cloud and AI processing.

🇲🇽 TikTok Shop announced its launch in Mexico, offering in-app e-commerce tools for local sellers. The platform aims to blend content and commerce by enabling direct product sales via short-form videos and livestreams.

🇨🇴 Uber introduced a specialized account for older adults in Colombia, focusing on enhanced security and accessibility features. The account includes simplified UI, voice support, and real-time alerts for family members.

🇲🇽 DiDi Préstamos, the credit service from ride-hailing app DiDi, surpassed 20 million loans disbursed in Mexico. The platform provides short-term credit via mobile app, positioning itself as a key player in the country’s digital lending ecosystem.

🌎 The Inter-American Development Bank launched a call for AI-based solutions to transform education in LatAm. The initiative seeks scalable technologies to address equity, access, and learning outcomes in the region.

📚 Deeper Reads

Latin America lags behind in cryptocurrency regulation (ES)

Big tech regulation in Brazil is a matter of sovereignty, says minister

JPMorgan says fintech middlemen like Plaid are ‘massively taxing’ its systems with unnecessary pings

📣 LatAm fintech enthusiasts looking for a new role, check out https://jobs.thisweekinfintech.com

Made in LatAm with 🩵by 

Elena, Digital Innovation Manager at Banco Azteca

Carlos, Research collaborator in AI and Tech at El Colegio de México

Lorena, Head of Policy for Spanish-speaking LatAm at Tools for Humanity

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