Nubank, Latin America’s largest digital bank, is preparing to integrate dollar-pegged stablecoins and credit cards into its payments ecosystem. The move was disclosed by vice-chairman Roberto Campos Neto, the former governor of Brazil’s central bank, during the Meridian 2025 event on Wednesday. Campos Neto underscored the growing importance of blockchain technology in bridging digital assets with traditional financial services.
According to local media reports, Nubank intends to pilot stablecoin payments via credit cards in the coming months. The initiative is part of a broader effort to allow deposits in tokenized form and eventually use these assets to issue credit, linking stablecoins directly with the bank’s lending operations. “What the data shows is that people aren’t buying to transact, they’re buying as a store of value,” Campos Neto said. “And we need to understand why this is happening.”
Nubank was founded in São Paulo in 2013 and today serves more than 100 million customers across Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia. The bank has steadily expanded into digital assets over the past three years. In 2022, it allocated 1% of its net assets to Bitcoin and introduced crypto trading for retail clients. In March 2025, Nubank broadened its offerings by adding Cardano (ADA), Cosmos (ATOM), Near Protocol (NEAR), and Algorand (ALGO) to its platform, further signaling its long-term commitment to crypto adoption.
The bank has also experimented with loyalty tokens, announcing plans to launch a program on the Polygon blockchain. The stablecoin pilot marks the next logical step, positioning Nubank as both a fintech innovator and a bridge between Latin America’s banking system and the emerging digital asset economy.
The push into stablecoins reflects broader regional trends. In Brazil, the Central Bank president said earlier this year that 90% of crypto activity in the country is linked to stablecoins. Dollar-backed tokens are increasingly used for savings and payments as consumers seek shelter from volatile local currencies.
Neighboring Argentina has also seen explosive adoption. Inflation surpassed 100% in recent years, prompting citizens to turn to USDt and USDC. A 2025 report from exchange Bitso found that in 2024, USDt accounted for 50% of crypto purchases in Argentina, with USDC capturing another 22%. Across the region, stablecoins represented 39% of all transactions on Bitso’s platform.
Other countries are following suit. Bolivia reversed its crypto ban in June 2024 and signed an agreement with El Salvador to promote digital assets as a “viable and reliable alternative” to fiat. Banks in Bolivia are now permitted to process Bitcoin and stablecoin payments. In Venezuela, where inflation surged to 229% in 2025, stablecoins like USDt have overtaken the bolívar for daily commerce, from groceries to salaries. Chainalysis reported that stablecoins made up 47% of all crypto transactions under $10,000 in 2024.
Nubank’s stablecoin pilot underscores how traditional banks are responding to customer demand for alternatives to inflation-prone fiat. If successful, the integration could help Nubank scale new lending products tied to tokenized assets, while reinforcing its role as a gateway between banking and crypto in the region. The move also aligns with a global trend: financial institutions experimenting with stablecoin rails as regulators introduce clearer frameworks such as the EU’s MiCA and the U.S. GENIUS Act.
For investors, Nubank’s expansion into stablecoin-linked credit cards highlights the bank’s willingness to embrace digital assets at scale. Its size, reach, and regulatory credibility may position it as one of the most influential institutions driving mainstream stablecoin adoption in Latin America over the next several years.
