Tether has written another check in Latin America. This time it went to EFY Finance, a regional financial infrastructure provider built around stablecoin services.
On October 13, 2026, Tether announced it had participated in EFY Finance’s seed funding round. The goal is to push institutional adoption of its USD₮ (USDT) and USA₮ (USAT) tokens for cross-border payments and other financial services across the region.
Tether did not disclose how much it put in.
What EFY Finance actually does
The company offers on-ramp and off-ramp services, which let users convert between local currencies and stablecoins. It also runs OTC trading, meaning large over-the-counter trades handled directly rather than through a public exchange order book. EFY also provides wallets and cards.
EFY services more than 25,000 accounts, covering both individuals and businesses. It provides local settlement infrastructure in more than 17 countries and supports more than 12 different currencies.
Its key operating markets include Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico, El Salvador, Panama, and Ecuador.
EFY also holds a Digital Asset Service Provider (DASP) license in El Salvador, which gives it a formal regulatory footing when pitching to institutions rather than retail speculators.
The pitch from both sides
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino framed the deal around compliance. He stressed that regions facing inflation and capital controls need financial infrastructure that plays by the rules.
EFY Finance CEO Andrés Tobón described the partnership as a crucial step toward connecting digital dollars with traditional financial systems.
Part of a broader Latin America push
This is not Tether’s first move in the region this year. In July 2026, the company invested $20 million in Ualá, the Argentine neobank.
Ualá is a consumer-facing bank, while EFY is infrastructure that other businesses and institutions can build on. The inclusion of USA₮ in the EFY announcement is also worth noting. Tether is positioning regulated products like USA₮ alongside its flagship USDT, and EFY gives both tokens a ready distribution channel.
What this means
EFY’s coverage of more than 17 countries and more than 12 currencies gives Tether access to a range of local corridors through a single relationship.
Regulatory treatment of stablecoins varies widely across the countries where EFY operates, and a license in El Salvador does not automatically smooth the path in Bolivia or Colombia.
Disclosure: This article was edited by John Chen. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.