The Tether-backed app officially opens operations in Brazil with a self-custody-first experience.

For the first time, crypto users can tap to pay at checkout without moving funds to an exchange.

Tether-backed mobile payments platform Oobit has officially launched operations in Brazil, marking a major step in its global expansion.

The company has opened a local office and appointed fintech veteran Eduardo Prota to lead operations across Latin America.

The app’s Brazilian rollout follows a successful pre-launch phase that saw over 50,000 users onboarded, positioning Oobit as one of the most significant entrants in the region’s fast-growing digital payments sector.

The launch also introduces DePay, a new feature that allows users to connect their self-custody crypto wallets and make payments at physical stores, without transferring funds to centralized exchanges or intermediaries.

In practice, this means crypto users in Brazil can now pay at checkout directly from their wallets, similar to the experience offered by Apple Pay.

The app supports Visa and Mastercard payment rails, ensuring merchants receive fiat currency while users spend crypto seamlessly.

Stablecoins dominate transactions during beta phase

Data from Oobit’s beta phase highlights the growing role of stablecoins in Brazil’s payments landscape.

The company reported that 92.2% of payments processed through the platform were made using stablecoins, with USDT (Tether) accounting for 86% of total payments.

Globally, excluding Brazil, stablecoins make up around 83% of payments on Oobit, with 45% attributed to USDT.

The company also noted that 95.6% of Brazilian users have used USDT at least once, indicating a strong level of trust in stablecoin-based transactions.

Purchases range widely, from everyday spending to higher-value items such as an $836 flight ticket and a $764 clothing order.

Geographically, Oobit’s reach in Brazil is broad. The city of São Paulo represents about 26% of its user base, while smaller towns like Belo Jardim account for around 2.6%.

The company says this distribution shows nationwide engagement and signals genuine demand for practical crypto payment solutions.

“Global payments are being rewritten right now, and Brazil is the blueprint,” said Amram Adar, Co-founder and CEO of Oobit.

“We’re proving that people everywhere are ready to control and spend their own money without asking for permission.”

Brazil as a blueprint for crypto utility

Brazil ranks among the top global markets for crypto adoption, with over 26 million people — roughly 12% of the population — holding digital assets.

However, as inflation pressures and digital payment adoption evolve, users are increasingly seeking spending power and self-sovereignty, not just storage solutions.

According to Eduardo Prota, Oobit’s Regional Manager for LATAM, the company’s launch represents a broader shift in financial behavior.

“Just like mobile banking reshaped finance a decade ago, crypto payments will redefine how the world transacts,” he said. “What’s happening in Brazil is not local — it’s global.”

The Oobit launch effectively turns Brazil into a testing ground for self-custodial crypto payments, integrating stablecoin transactions into everyday commerce.

The company’s approach aligns closely with Tether’s mission to expand global financial accessibility and resilience through blockchain-based infrastructure.

With user adoption accelerating and infrastructure in place, Oobit’s Brazil expansion underscores how crypto payments are transitioning from speculative assets to mainstream financial tools, enabling real-world use cases grounded in transparency, security, and user control.

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