Crypto Accelerators in LATAM: Bitso, Outlier Ventures, and the Rise of Regional Startup Hubs

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Crypto Accelerators in LATAM: Bitso, Outlier Ventures, and the Regional Startup Explosion

Latin America is quickly becoming one of the hottest regions for crypto innovation, and accelerators play a critical role in fueling this growth. In a recent episode of the Frontier podcast, experts dove deep into the rising accelerator ecosystem, the challenges regional founders face, and why global crypto giants like Coinbase are targeting LATAM.

Why the Surge in Crypto Accelerators?

LATAM presents a massive market with untapped potential, but founders face significant challenges. A recent survey revealed that 91% of LATAM founders view raising capital as their primary obstacle. Accelerators are uniquely positioned to bridge this gap, offering essential resources, mentorship, and direct pathways to funding.

Spotlight on Bitso’s New Accelerator: The Push

Bitso, LATAM’s largest crypto exchange, recently announced "The Push," positioning itself as the first global accelerator dedicated explicitly to stablecoins and blockchain-driven ideas. However, despite their claims, they're actually joining an established trend. Earlier accelerators such as Outlier Ventures LATAM, Cento, and Acelera have already made significant impacts.

The experts pointed out the critical role Bitso aims to play: leveraging its infrastructure to accelerate startups that align with its strategic vision, especially stablecoins and institutional services.

Insights from Outlier Ventures LATAM

Reflecting on the experience with Outlier Ventures LATAM, podcast host AB shared how invaluable the mentorship and networks provided were. Outlier's quality mentorship and strong institutional backing (Morgan Creek Digital) validated startups' theses and significantly boosted their growth trajectories.

AB highlighted the regional shift, noticing the formation of a cohesive LATAM founder ecosystem, beyond traditional hubs like Argentina and Brazil. He emphasized the necessity of cultivating founders, not just hackers—focusing on perseverance and strategic thinking.

Coinbase’s Bold Move into Argentina

In other significant regional news, Coinbase received regulatory approval to launch in Argentina, a crypto powerhouse with over 5 million daily users. This move signals a competitive shift, challenging dominant players like Binance and local favorites Lemon and Buenbit.

The podcast hosts discussed potential market implications, predicting significant consolidation through mergers and acquisitions. They anticipate global exchanges acquiring local startups to rapidly scale market presence.

The Future: Local vs. Global Crypto Players

One notable debate centered around whether local crypto platforms inherently outperform global competitors. Unlike traditional sectors like ride-sharing or delivery services (e.g., Rappi), crypto success heavily depends on liquidity and user experience. The podcast hosts concluded that global exchanges might have an inherent advantage due to deeper liquidity pools unless local players significantly enhance user experience and connectivity.

Newbank and the DeFi Frontier

Finally, the podcast touched on Nubank’s recent plans to expand its global headquarters to the UK, speculating about deeper crypto integration. They foresee Nubank potentially adopting decentralized finance (DeFi) strategies to enhance its services, positioning itself as a leader in the emerging "DeFi mullet" trend (fintech front-end, DeFi back-end).

Takeaway

The surge of crypto accelerators across Latin America signals a vibrant and maturing startup ecosystem. With strong support networks, strategic moves by major crypto exchanges, and growing regulatory clarity, LATAM is poised to become a leading global crypto innovation hub.

Stay tuned as Frontier continues exploring this dynamic region, bringing expert insights and breaking down key developments shaping the future of crypto in LATAM.

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01:48 Accelerators in Latin America

09:07 Bitso's focus on institutional business (Bitso Business)

10:54 Global vs. local players in the crypto market

14:49 The Trump effect on crypto app downloads

17:16 Coinbase in Argentina

20:03 NuBank's expansion to the United Kingdom

23:06 Bitcoin Plan B conference in El Salvador

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