Mercado Bitcoin Deploys $20M Private Credit on Rootstock Blockchain

Mercado Bitcoin, a leading Latin American digital asset platform, has deployed more than $20 million in tokenized private credit on Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) sidechain Rootstock, deepening its push into real-world assets (RWAs) and targeting $100 million in new issuances by April. The deployment follows a release the exchange shared with a crypto news outlet, noting that several offerings had already reached target capacity since going live. The move also expands Mercado Bitcoin’s multichain tokenization strategy to include planned RWAs on Stellar (CRYPTO: XLM) and the XRP Ledger (CRYPTO: XRP), offering international investors Bitcoin-secured exposure to Latin American private debt markets. Lucas Pinsdorf, the exchange’s business director, described the newly issued assets as a mix of receivables and corporate debt that span Brazilian and foreign borrowers.

Key takeaways

• Mercado Bitcoin has already tokenized over $20 million of private credit on Rootstock and aims to scale to $100 million in issuances by April, signaling rapid ramp-up in RWAs on a Bitcoin-native layer.
• The initial assets comprise receivables and corporate debt, extending financing to both Brazilian and international borrowers, including at least one American company.
• The platform’s strategy is multichain, with planned RWAs on Stellar (XLM) and the XRP Ledger, broadening access to Latin American private debt for global investors.
• RWA.xyz data places Mercado Bitcoin among the world’s top 10 tokenized private credit issuers, with more than $370 million in cumulative loans, though regional leaders have issued well over $5 billion each.
• The private-credit framework operates within Brazil’s regulatory regime, leveraging licenses supervised by the Comissão de Valores Mobiliários (CVM) and the Central Bank of Brazil, underscoring a regulatory path for tokenized finance.

Tickers mentioned: $BTC, $XLM, $XRP

Sentiment: Neutral

Price impact: Positive. The rapid absorption of the initial $20 million offering points to healthy demand for tokenized RWAs on-chain.

Market context: The push to bring yield-bearing instruments on-chain mirrors a regional trend in Latin America, with regulators increasingly examining tokenized finance while issuers seek to unlock cross-border liquidity. Argentina’s Ripio has already launched local currency stablecoins and tokenized sovereign exposure, illustrating a broader appetite for on-chain debt products in the region.

Why it matters

The Mercado Bitcoin initiative is significant for several reasons. First, it demonstrates that tokenized private credit can operate on a Bitcoin-native sidechain while still serving traditional debt markets. The use of Rootstock as a settlement and smart-contract layer suggests a path for RWAs to gain liquidity access through a familiar crypto rails architecture, potentially lowering friction for issuers and investors alike.

Second, the multichain rollout—with planned issuances on Stellar (XLM) and the XRP Ledger—highlights an ecosystem-first approach to tokenized finance. By leveraging multiple networks, Mercado Bitcoin can tailor deal structures to the strengths of each chain, whether it’s fast settlement times on Stellar, or proven cross-border rails on the XRP Ledger. This strategy could help attract a broader base of institutional and high-net-worth investors seeking Bitcoin-collateralized exposure to Latin America’s private debt markets.

Finally, the regulatory dimension remains central. Mercado Bitcoin emphasizes that its private credit tokens were structured within Brazil’s regulated framework, drawing on licenses supervised by the CVM and the Central Bank. That stance signals a careful, compliance-driven approach at a time when tokenized finance is under sharper scrutiny in several jurisdictions. The company’s openness to regulatory dialogue—expressed by Pinsdorf as a hope for clearer frameworks—could influence how other regional players structure RWAs as they scale across borders.

From a market perspective, the movement aligns with growing demand for yield-bearing on-chain assets at a time when liquidity and risk sentiment continue to drive crypto investment. While the top tokenized private-credit platforms have issued dramatically larger sums—each of the top three surpassing $5.4 billion—the current trajectory places Mercado Bitcoin among the leading regional issuers, underscoring Latin America’s potential as a proving ground for RWA tokenization on crypto rails.

What to watch next

• April issuance target: Will the $100 million milestone be reached on or ahead of schedule, and which issuances will contribute most to the total?
• Regulatory clarity: How will Brazil’s CVM and the Central Bank refine the pathway for tokenized finance, and what frameworks emerge for cross-border RWAs?
• Expansion on other networks: Which specific assets will be issued on Stellar (XLM) and the XRP Ledger, and what forms of collateral will back those notes?
• RWA.xyz rankings: Could Mercado Bitcoin ascend further in the global private-credit leaderboard as new deals come online?
• Regulatory dialogue in the region: How might regulators in Argentina and other LATAM markets influence the pace of tokenized credit programs?

Sources & verification

• Mercado Bitcoin’s own release detailing the Rootstock deployment and the $100 million target by April.
• RWA.xyz data on private-credit issuers, including Mercado Bitcoin’s ranking and cumulative loan totals.
• Reports on Argentina’s Ripio launching local currency stablecoins and tokenized sovereign exposure as part of regional tokenization activity.
• Regulatory references to Brazil’s CVM and the Central Bank as the overseers of the tokenized private-credit framework.

Latin America’s tokenized credit race

Mercado Bitcoin’s push into tokenized private credit on Rootstock signals a broader regional trend toward RWAs that sit at the intersection of traditional finance and blockchain liquidity. The initial $20 million offering’s rapid uptake has reinforced confidence that a larger $100 million pipeline can materialize by the spring, as market participants seek yield in an environment where on-chain exposures are increasingly scrutinized for risk management and transparency. The choice to diversify into additional networks—Stellar and the XRP Ledger—reflects a strategic bet on network effects to unlock cross-border capital flows and broaden investor access to Latin American private debt markets.

Key figures and next steps

At its core, the program underscores Mercado Bitcoin’s intent to bridge Brazilian credit markets with international capital while navigating a framework that regulators view as essential for maintaining investor protection and market integrity. Pinsdorf’s remarks show a willingness to explore debt issuance beyond domestic plants, broadening the pool of potential borrowers and expanding the types of receivables and corporate debt that can be tokenized. As these ambitions unfold, the market will watch how regulators balance innovation with oversight and how the ecosystem evolves to accommodate more complex structures and cross-chain settlement.

What comes next for tokenized RWAs in Latin America

As tokenized private credit gains traction across the region, observers expect more platforms to experiment with multichain strategies and to pursue regulatory clarity that supports scalable issuance. The LATAM story is not just about crypto-native investors seeking yield; it’s about mainstream finance recognizing tokenization as a way to access diversification and liquidity previously unavailable in traditional private-credit markets. Mercado Bitcoin’s current trajectory—paired with regulatory engagement and a broader network strategy—could set a template for how RWAs are launched, governed, and scaled in emerging markets.