Insights from Latin America's Inaugural Major Stablecoins Event
Stablecoin Conference 2025 Explores Future of Digital Currencies in Latin America
Last week in Mexico City, the first major conference focused on stablecoins in Latin America, the Stablecoin Conference 2025, took place. The event brought together industry experts to discuss the transformative impact of crypto wallets and exchanges on payment infrastructure.
The panel, named From Tokens to Solutions: the Front Lines Shift to Power Stablecoin Mass Adoption, featured Paola Urquidi, Director of Institutional Sales at Bullish, Pablo Magro, Director of Institutional Regional Growth at OKX, Alec Lovett, Head of Stablecoins at Coinbase, and Felipe Vallejo, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Bitso.
The discussion centred around the shift from stablecoins to solutions for mass adoption, with a focus on the implications for cross-border transactions. The panelists debated whether stablecoins are considered standalone products or catalysts for change in the restructuring of payment systems.
One of the key points of discussion was the distinction between individual and institutional/retail use of stablecoins. The panelists highlighted banks, merchants, and card networks as key players in enabling stablecoin adoption, with crypto wallets and exchanges providing the critical underlying payments infrastructure.
The panel also delved into critical factors for enabling mass adoption of stablecoins, including liquidity, regulation, trust, and the differing expectations of crypto-native users and traditional institutions. Daniel Webber's question about how data can help unlock new revenue from stablecoins was also discussed, although he was not specified as participating in the panel.
Another point of discussion was whether stablecoins are leading to a fundamental reevaluation of cross-border payment systems or if they are merely an efficient addition to existing structures, particularly for remittances and SME use cases. The panelists agreed that evolving relationships with these different players will be essential for stablecoin adoption.
The conference also addressed the role of regulatory-compliant custody and audits, instant, low-cost transactions for cross-border and retail payments, and the growing institutional trust and clearer regulations like the U.S. GENIUS Act. Merchants especially benefit from reduced fees and faster settlements, while banks provide essential infrastructure to bridge traditional finance with stablecoin ecosystems.
Overall, the Stablecoin Conference 2025 provided valuable insights into the future of stablecoins in Latin America and the role they will play in transforming payment systems. As the adoption of stablecoins continues to grow, it is clear that their impact will be significant, and the discussions at the conference will undoubtedly shape the future of this exciting technology.
