Andre Portilho is head of digital assets at BTG Pactual, which is one of the largest banks in Brazil and the largest investment bank in Latin America. He previously ran the options desk at BTG when bitcoin came onto his radar in 2017. Since then, BTG has been a leader among financial institutions globally in embracing and utilizing blockchain technology as well as offering crypto products to its clients.
Last year, BTG launched its Mynt crypto platform, which offers more than 20 cryptocurrencies to customers through its application. In April 2023, BTG launched its own dollar-backed BTG Dol stablecoin, becoming what appears to be the first financial institution in the world to issue a stablecoin intended for use by retail investors.
In this episode we discuss:
How the BTG Dol idea originated earlier this year
The current demand for US dollar exposure among Brazilian investors and BTG customers
BTG’s experience issuing a real estate-backed security token in 2018
How recent banking and stablecoin crises impacted the BTG Dol’s design
The value proposition of a stablecoin issued by heavily regulated TradFi institution such as BTG Pactual
The uptake of the Mynt platform among retail investors since late 2022
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