Stablecoins Hit 40% of LatAm Crypto Buys as Bitso Shows USDC/USDT Lead

Bitso’s “Crypto Landscape in Latin America 2025” report says stablecoins are driving LatAm crypto demand. In 2025, stablecoins accounted for about 40% of all crypto purchases, overtaking Bitcoin for the first time. Based on data from nearly 10 million retail customers across Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico, the report highlights usage tied to digital dollarization—savings, payments, and remittances linked to the US dollar. On Bitso, stablecoins are led by USDC (23% of purchases) and USDT (16%), versus Bitcoin at 18%. The country split is uneven: Argentina is dominated by USDC+USDT (over 70% of buys), while Brazil is more balanced (stablecoins 34%, BTC 22%). Despite stablecoins gaining share, Bitcoin still represents about 52% of users’ portfolios (down only ~1% YoY), suggesting BTC remains the region’s anchor for longer-term exposure. Traders’ takeaway: higher stablecoin usage may support calmer, more “settlement-focused” demand rather than purely speculative chasing, while BTC continues to hold reserve status—potentially limiting downside volatility for BTC even as spot flows shift toward USDC/USDT.