Geopolitics

Welcome to Latam Insights, a compilation of the most relevant crypto news from Latin America over the past week. In this edition, a strategic bitcoin reserve bill was introduced in the Brazilian Congress, Brazil prepares to tax stablecoins, and Argentina’s statistics chief resigns. Strategic

ChainCatcher News, venture capitalist Nic Carter recently stated on a podcast that Bitcoin developers' long-term inaction regarding the potential threat of quantum computing to Bitcoin could lead large institutions holding significant amounts of Bitcoin to become dissatisfied, ultimately triggering an "institutional takeover." Nic Carter warned that institutions will not tolerate the long-term neglect of core security issues in Bitcoin. If developers continue to do nothing, institutions will lose patience, dismiss the current developers, and replace them with new ones.

Legislators in Brazil have reintroduced a bill for a national strategic Bitcoin receive that would allow the country to accumulate nearly $20 billion of BTC in five years. The bill was first introduced in November 2024 and has now passed five committees to be tabled before the lower

Two Democratic Senators have written to the Treasury Secretary, requesting a national security review of the UAE entity's $500 million investment in the crypto company World Liberty Financial, questioning whether the deal could impact user data security. The transaction involves the Trump family, and the Senators are concerned about its history of cooperation with Chinese companies.

VeChain and Rekord are deploying DPP infrastructure aligned with the EU’s ESPR, which entered into force on July 18, 2024. The EU is expected to deploy a central Digital Product Passport registry by July 2026, ahead of early DPP-related compliance phases scheduled for 2027. VeChain and Rekor

CFTC named a 35-member Innovation Advisory Committee, including CEOs from Ripple, Coinbase, Uniswap, Solana Labs, and Chainlink Labs. The committee also includes leaders from CME, Nasdaq, ICE, DTCC, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Polymarket, per the CFTC roster. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has

The measure, described last week, would be submitted by Brazil’s Revenue Service for public consultation and would impose a 3.5% tax on both stablecoin purchases and remittances, treating them as foreign currency exchanges subject to the existing Tax on Financial Transactions (IOF). Brazil

February 14 News, the United States experienced a partial government shutdown due to the failure to pass the budget on time. However, against the backdrop of increasing political uncertainty, the cryptocurrency market defied the trend and rose. Mainstream assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana showed significant rebounds, driving the overall market capitalization to recover. Market data shows that in the past 24 hours, the total market value of cryptocurrencies increased by nearly 5%, reaching approximately $2.38 trillion. The previous weeks of volatility and decline had kept many investors on the sidelines, but this round of rebound has injected new activity into the market. Although some analyses had predicted that the shutdown would increase selling pressure, the actual trend has contrasted with those expectations.

February 14 News, the Central Bank of Russia recently announced that it will conduct in-depth research on the feasibility of pegging stablecoins to the ruble and assess their risks and potential benefits. On February 12, Vladimir Chistyukhin, First Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Russia, revealed at the Alpha Dialogue Conference in Moscow that the research plan aims to explore how stablecoins can better integrate into Russia's financial system. This move comes at a critical moment when Russia, facing Western sanctions and global banking access restrictions, is seeking new payment tools. For years, the Central Bank of Russia has opposed stablecoins, especially those pegged to fiat currencies, believing they could pose financial stability and regulatory risks. However, as cryptocurrencies gradually enter the international settlement space and the digital ruble project is launched, the stance of the Central Bank of Russia has changed. Previously, Russia allowed cryptocurrencies for some international settlements, and the digital ruble has entered the pilot phase. It is expected that stablecoins will be fully launched by the end of 2026.

February 14 News, the U.S. cryptocurrency regulatory system is accelerating the integration of industry-leading technical talent. Anatoly Yakovenko, the founder of the high-speed blockchain Solana, was recently selected for the newly established Innovation Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), becoming one of the few blockchain protocol designers directly involved in federal policy discussions. This appointment indicates that U.S. regulators are shifting from an “external review” approach to a new path of “collaborating with developers to set rules.” The Innovation Advisory Committee is composed of 35 members, focusing on cutting-edge issues in blockchain infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and digital asset markets, and providing regulatory agencies with advice on technology and market trends. The committee is led by Michael S. Selig, with the goal of helping the U.S. market adapt more efficiently to the rapidly evolving fintech environment. Yakovenko’s practical experience in low-latency, high-throughput network architecture is seen as offering a realistic perspective for derivatives settlement, on-chain transparency, and system stability assessment.

The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission has opened up virtual asset margin financing and perpetual contracts, limited to professional investors to enhance market liquidity and risk management. Measures include allowing Bitcoin and Ethereum as collateral, while establishing transparent design and information disclosure principles to assist investors in risk management. Affiliates can act as market makers to further increase liquidity.

ChainCatcher News, the General Office of the State Council issued the Implementation Opinions on Improving the National Unified Electricity Market System, which points out to improve the functions of the electricity market, accelerate the establishment of a green electricity consumption certification mechanism, and fully introduce technologies such as blockchain to conduct full-chain certification for green electricity production, consumption, and other links.

Russian Deputy Finance Minister Chebeskov stated that Russia's daily cryptocurrency trading volume is about 50 billion rubles, with millions of citizens participating, reflecting a significant increase in public interest in digital assets as a savings tool.

Non-profit organization Motiv Peru combines humanitarian aid and Bitcoin finance in Peru, successfully establishing a Bitcoin circular economy in impoverished communities. Since 2011, Peruvian merchants have accepted Bitcoin transactions and promoted digital currency in response to local demand. Motiv Peru promotes Bitcoin through education and practical application, reaching over 6,000 people by 2025 and facilitating 150,000 transactions.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen stated that advancing the CLARITY Act in a sluggish market environment may help improve market sentiment, but the progress of the bill is affected by concerns from industry executives. She pointed out that if the Democrats take control of the House, the prospects for reaching an agreement will be shattered. Yellen emphasized the need to push the bill forward quickly to address potential changes in power.

PANews February 14 News, according to TASS, Vladimir Chistyukhin, First Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Russia, stated at the Alfa Talk conference that the Russian Central Bank plans to conduct a study on the feasibility of creating a Russian stablecoin by 2026. Chistyukhin said that the traditional stance of the Russian Central Bank is not to allow such operations, but considering practices in multiple countries, they will reassess the related risks and prospects and submit the research results for public discussion.

Brazil may buy 1M BTC over 5 years, creating the largest national Bitcoin reserve globally. Companies can hold, mine, and pay taxes in Bitcoin under the new bill. RESbit includes strict rules, transparency reports, and safeguards for citizen custody rights. Brazil is taking a step

Analyst Alex Mason warns that Japan's potential exit from its substantial stock holdings could significantly impact global markets. The Bank of Japan's actions may lead to increased market volatility and risk reassessment, affecting both equities and cryptocurrencies.

The Brazilian House of Representatives has introduced a bill planning to accumulate at least 1 million Bitcoins over the next five years to establish a national-level "Strategic Bitcoin Reserve." The bill expands on the original proposal and, if passed, would have a significant impact on the Bitcoin market, but its implementation still faces funding sources and regulatory challenges.

_Ripple ex-CTO says Bitcoin may need a hard fork for quantum security, while XRP Ledger can upgrade without new addresses._ Ripple Ex-CTO: Bitcoin May Need Hard Fork to Survive Quantum. That was the warning shared by David Schwartz, also known as Joel Katz, during a recent discussion on