Tether has led a pre-seed funding round in Peso, a Bolivian fintech company that facilitates USDT payments through food delivery applications and local banking networks. The investment aims to support Peso’s expansion across Latin America, specifically targeting markets in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina. According to the announcement made on Wednesday, the capital will help scale stablecoin payment infrastructure that connects USDT with local currencies via merchant systems and banking rails.
Peso has already integrated USDT payments into Yango’s food delivery service in Bolivia, enabling customers to settle orders using the stablecoin. The platform also provides QR code payments, point-of-sale services for merchants, and virtual accounts linked to Bolivia’s banking system through ACH transfers. Tether did not disclose the specific financial size of its investment in the round.
This development occurs amid broader adoption of dollar-pegged digital assets in Bolivia, driven by a prolonged shortage of physical US dollars and high inflation since 2025. In November 2025, the Bolivian government announced plans to integrate cryptocurrencies and stablecoins into the formal financial system, including provisions for banks to offer digital asset custody. By July 2026, authorities were considering a regulatory framework to recognize USDT for payments, savings, and trade alongside the boliviano and the US dollar. Other fintechs are also expanding; lending platform Tala recently partnered with El Dorado to offer credit directly through digital wallets, allowing users to receive and repay loans in USDT on the Tempo blockchain.
Tether’s strategic investment in Peso signals a shift from passive market observation to active infrastructure building in regions where fiat currency instability creates natural demand for stablecoins. By backing a fintech that integrates USDT into everyday consumer transactions like food delivery and retail payments, Tether is embedding its token into the operational fabric of Latin American economies. This approach bypasses traditional crypto speculation, focusing instead on utility-driven adoption that can sustain volume even during market downturns.
The move highlights the growing interplay between private sector innovation and evolving state regulations in Bolivia. As the government moves toward recognizing USDT for legal payments and savings, companies like Peso are positioning themselves as compliant bridges between legacy banking systems and digital assets. However, this rapid integration carries operational risks, particularly regarding regulatory consistency across different jurisdictions such as Brazil and Argentina, which may have divergent stances on stablecoin usage compared to Bolivia’s emerging framework.
