Bitcoin Momentum in Brazil: 43% Volume Rise, Average Investment Tops $1,000
Mercado Bitcoin reports Brazil’s crypto trading volume rose 43% year‑over‑year in 2025 as retail investing becomes more structured and average tickets increase to about BRL 5,700 (~$1,000). Bitcoin (BTC) remained the most traded asset, followed by USDT, Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL). Stablecoin activity surged — fiat‑backed tokens recorded roughly three times the transactions year‑on‑year, with USDT accounting for a dominant share of on‑chain flows (~62%). Around 18% of investors now hold multiple digital assets. Tokenized fixed‑income products (Renda Fixa Digital, RFD) saw a 108% rise, with Mercado Bitcoin distributing roughly $325 million in 2025. Younger traders (24 and under) grew fastest (+56% YoY), and adoption expanded beyond Southeast and South regions into Central‑West and Northeast states. Tax agency data through Sept 2024 showed BRL‑denominated crypto transactions up ~24%, reinforcing the stablecoin on‑ramp trend. Institutional infrastructure is advancing: Brazil’s stock exchange B3 plans a tokenization platform, a settlement stablecoin and weekly options for BTC, ETH and SOL in 2026. Regulatory moves include the central bank’s plan to treat stablecoin flows as foreign‑exchange operations from February. Asset manager Itaú suggested a 1–3% Bitcoin allocation for portfolios citing geopolitical and currency risks. For traders, the takeaways are: rising participation and ticket sizes, stronger stablecoin on‑ramps boosting liquidity and execution, growth in lower‑risk tokenized fixed‑income products offering yield alternatives, and imminent institutional infrastructure from B3 that could expand product variety and market depth — while price volatility and regulatory adjustments remain key risks.
Bullish
The combined reports point to growing retail participation, larger average ticket sizes, and a sharp rise in stablecoin on‑ramps — all factors that tend to increase liquidity and trading volumes for Bitcoin. BTC remains the top traded asset and is central to planned institutional offerings from B3 (weekly options and settlement infrastructure), which could draw more institutional flows and deepen order books. Short term, heightened retail activity and stablecoin-driven on‑chain flows can amplify volatility but also support stronger intraday liquidity and tighter spreads. Medium to long term, the rollout of tokenization, a settlement stablecoin and derivatives by B3, alongside growing adoption of lower‑risk tokenized products, is likely to increase institutional access and persistent demand for BTC as a portfolio allocation (Itaú’s 1–3% suggestion), which is bullish for price. Regulatory shifts (stablecoin classified as FX flows) and macro risks remain downside factors that could constrain immediate upside, but they do not offset the overall positive demand and infrastructure trends supporting BTC.