Insights
Will Latin America Be a Spectator or a Protagonist in the Tokenization Era?
By
Lina Triana
Blockchain adoption is rising, but true inclusion in Latin America remains limited. Tokenization of financial assets could be the bridge — lowering costs, opening access, and shaping the region’s role in the global financial future.
🌍 Inclusion: The Next Step for DeFi
Blockchain is often described as the future of finance. But for me, its true meaning goes far beyond technology or transactions: it is about inclusion.
📊 A Region with Potential, but with Gaps
Latin America shows growing crypto adoption, estimated between 12% and 19% depending on the country — for example, Brazil at 18.6% and Argentina at 19.8% ownership of cryptocurrencies (Rankings Latam 2025). This clearly indicates an openness to exploring new financial technologies.
But this curiosity does not always translate into participation in traditional markets. ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds, that is, baskets of assets like stocks, bonds, or commodities designed to diversify risk) show a significant gap. While in other regions an average user might invest $100, in LatAm that figure is only about $0.20, or 0.16% of the total (PRNewswire, PYMNTS).
This gap reveals something crucial: the digital era is already reshaping the global financial system, but real access is not yet open to everyone. This is partly due to low institutional participation, which has not prioritized inclusive strategies or financial education, and also due to the lack of knowledge and trust among everyday users.
In my view, blockchain will eventually be used by everyone. But the path so far has not been easy: we have faced regulatory barriers, actors who have taken unfair advantage of those without knowledge, and unprepared individualsentering investments irresponsibly. The big question is: how can we increase the interest and participation of society at large — not just technical traders or experts — so that they can engage with confidence in this new financial landscape?
💡 Tokenization as a Turning Point
Tokenization of ETFs (meaning converting traditional financial assets into digital representations on blockchain)could be a game changer.
Digitalizing these instruments offers clear advantages:
Reduced costs of issuance and access.
Lower investment minimums, adapted to local realities.
Transparency and liquidity, as they operate on open blockchain rails.
This is not a futuristic promise but a tangible path to closing the gap between widespread interest and effective participation.
🚀 Not Futuristic: It’s Already Happening
This shift is already happening globally. For example, xStocks, created by Backed and listed on Kraken, are now available in over 185 countries, proving that tokenization is no longer theory but an active part of global markets (Solana.com, Finance Magnates, PRNewswire).
This reinforces the idea: the transformation is already underway. The question for Latin America is not if it will arrive, but how and how fast the region will take part.
🏛️ Regulation: A Shifting Landscape
Adoption also requires regulatory backing to build trust:
In Brazil, the Pix payments system has been key to digitalization, and more than 90% of crypto transaction flows in the country are tied to stablecoins (Reuters, 2025).
The Central Bank of Brazil is also advancing with the development of a digital real (CBDC) integrated with Pix (Reuters, 2024).
In Argentina and Mexico, new frameworks for licensing and compliance (AML) are being shaped for crypto service providers (Cointelegraph, 2024).
Although uneven, these steps point to a stronger foundation for adoption.
🎯 The Strategic Challenge
With clear signs of progress in both technology and regulation, the key question is: where should we focus first to ensure blockchain delivers real inclusion in Latin America?
On payments and remittances, already vital for millions, which could cut costs significantly.
On tokenized assets, opening global investments to everyday users.
On financial education, enabling users to participate responsibly.
On loyalty and rewards programs, bridging blockchain with familiar experiences.
The path is unlikely to be a single one, but rather a strategic combination.
🌟 Conclusion
Inclusion cannot be a side effect. It must be the guiding star that shapes every innovation, regulatory framework, and financial design in Latin America.
Blockchain will inevitably be part of the financial future. The real question is: will Latin America remain a spectator, or will it step forward as a protagonist in this transformation?