Tether Invests in Bolivia’s Peso to Expand USDT Payments in South America
Summary
- Tether led the pre-seed funding round for Bolivian fintech Peso.
- The investment will be used to expand the USDT payments network in South American markets including Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Argentina.
- Demand for stablecoins is rising in Bolivia and across South America, broadening their use to products such as USDT lending services.
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Tether has invested in Bolivian fintech startup Peso as it moves to expand its stablecoin payments network in South America. Peso operates payment infrastructure that connects Tether’s USDT with food-delivery services and local banking systems.
Cointelegraph reported on October 21 that Tether led Peso’s pre-seed funding round. The proceeds are set to fund expansion in Bolivia and other South American markets including Brazil, Colombia and Argentina. The investment amount was not disclosed.
Peso has introduced USDT payments for Yango, a food-delivery service in Bolivia. Users can pay for orders with the stablecoin. The company also supports QR payments and point-of-sale terminals for merchants, and offers virtual accounts linked to Bolivia’s banking system through ACH transfers.
Demand for stablecoins in Bolivia has grown since last year as the country has grappled with a dollar shortage and inflation. In November 2025, the government announced an integrated financial system plan allowing banks to provide digital-asset custody and offer financial products linked to cryptocurrencies.
In July 2026, authorities began reviewing a regulatory framework that would allow USDT to be used alongside the boliviano and the dollar for payments, savings and trade. The framework has not been finalized, and USDT has not been adopted as legal tender.
USDT use in South America is also expanding into lending. Tala said the same day that it had partnered with digital wallet El Dorado to launch a Tempo blockchain-based USDT lending service.
