Peigo and Félix join forces to bring remittances from the US to Ecuador directly via WhatsApp. * Peigo, the financial platform of Banco Guayaquil, partners with Félix so that Ecuadorians can request and receive remittances from the United States directly from the app. * In 2025, Ecuador received US$7.7 billion in remittances, the highest figure since the Central Bank began its record in 1993. * The first transfer will be free for new users, and subsequent ones will have a fee starting at US$3.99. Peigo, the digital financial platform of Banco Guayaquil, announced a partnership with Félix, the fintech founded in 2020 by Mexican Bernardo García and Venezuelan Manuel Godoy to facilitate sending remittances via WhatsApp. The integration allows Peigo users to generate a transfer request from the app, share a link via WhatsApp with their family member in the United States, and for them to complete the transfer 100% digitally through Félix. The announcement also marks Félix's entry into the Ecuadorian market. The process is designed around the real communication habits of migrant families: most remittances start with a conversation. With this alliance, Peigo and Félix aim to streamline that process from the receiver's side, reducing friction in an activity that moves billions of dollars annually in Ecuador. A market with historic figures. The relevance of the alliance is better understood with the numbers: in 2025, Ecuador received US$7.7 billion in remittances, its record figure since 1993, with a growth of 18.2% compared to the previous year. Of that total, US$6 billion, or 77.8%, came from the United States, consolidating it as the main source of these flows. Remittances represented 5.9% of Ecuador's GDP and positioned themselves as the second source of foreign currency income for the country, only after shrimp exports. "At Banco Guayaquil, we make life easier for millions of Ecuadorians by bringing them closer to simple and secure financial solutions. Starting this alliance from Peigo allows us to expand access to digital experiences for those receiving remittances from the United States, simplifying the process and reducing friction in a key activity for thousands of Ecuadorian households," said Santiago Lasso, CEO of Peigo. Félix lands in Ecuador with a conversational approach. For Félix, entering Ecuador is a new step in its regional expansion, after operating in Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. The company, which processed over US$1 billion in remittances during 2024 and multiplied its revenues by 12 between 2023 and this year, bets on an experience built on WhatsApp that turns a conversation into a transfer in seconds. "Entering Ecuador alongside Banco Guayaquil is a very important step for Félix. Remittances are a way to take care of family from a distance, and that's why we believe the experience must be simple, clear, and close to the channels people already use every day," said Claudia Garavini, vice president of strategy and business development at Félix. Related topics: April 8, 2026 Teracloud, a firm specialized in cloud solutions and AWS Advanced Partner leader in Latin America, is preparing its clients to take advantage from day one of the new AWS South America (Chile) Region, whose opening is scheduled for the end of 2026. The infrastructure will have three Availability Zones under the code sa-chile-1, representing [...] May 18, 2026 Global66, the Chilean fintech specialized in international transfers, founded by Tomás Bercovich and Cristóbal Forno, mobilized over US$125 million from Colombia during the first quarter of 2026, multiplying by 2.5 the volume recorded in the same period of the previous year. The growth consolidates the country as the second most relevant market for the company [...] June 1, 2026 LQN, the Colombian startup providing technology infrastructure for mortgages, announced a strategic alliance with QKapital, a US firm specialized in cross-border credit, to build a platform that facilitates access for Latin American investors to real estate financing in the United States. The integration combines LQN's technology and distribution network with QKapital's origination capacity and licenses [...] April 15, 2026 Fracttal, the global company founded by Christian Struve and Alejandro Pérez, specialized in maintenance solutions driven by artificial intelligence, announced the acquisition of TCMAN, a Spanish company leader in maintenance management and developer of the GIM platform. The operation accelerates Fracttal's expansion in Europe and consolidates its position as a reference in the sector [...] June 12, 2026 Betterfly, the Chilean health, insurance, and benefits insurtech founded by brothers Eduardo della Maggiora and Cristóbal della Maggiora, acquired Minu, a Mexican corporate financial wellness startup, in a deal reportedly closed at US$100 million. With this, it would be among the largest transactions among startups in Latin America and adds to [...]

Crypto in payments gains traction: stablecoins and bitcoin power new cross-border flows. The payments world is increasingly embracing crypto currencies, especially stablecoins and bitcoin, as key rails for real-world transactions. A new wave of partnerships and product rollouts is bringing digital-asset payouts and transfers into the mainstream, with major players like Mastercard, Cash App, and dLocal leveraging stablecoins to offer faster, more flexible, and more inclusive payment options. Mastercard and Thunes: bringing stablecoin payouts to the foreground. At the Singapore Fintech Festival, Mastercard announced a strategic collaboration with payments infrastructure provider Thunes to enable near real-time stablecoin payouts. Through this integration, Mastercard Move, which already supports payouts to bank accounts, cards, and cash, will now support stablecoin wallets as a new endpoint. Using regulated stablecoins, such as USDC or USDT, this setup gives banks and payment providers new flexibility in how they pay out funds, while giving recipients more choice in how they receive them. The benefits are substantial: 24/7 availability, faster transfers, and broad global reach thanks to Thunes' Direct Global Network, which spans more than 130 countries. Mastercard frames this as a bridge between traditional finance and digital currency - a move supporting financial inclusion by giving underserved markets access to stable, reliable payouts. Cash App rolls out bitcoin spending and stablecoin features. Meanwhile, Cash App (owned by Block, Inc.) launched a major set of updates - its first bundled product release, introducing features across banking, commerce, peer-to-peer payments, and cryptocurrencies. Among the headline changes, Cash App users will soon be able to: * Send and receive stablecoins on the platform, with the app converting them into a USD cash balance. * Pay with Bitcoin using USD, by converting their USD balance into bitcoin payments via the Lightning Network, even if they don't personally hold any BTC. * Discover nearby merchants accepting Bitcoin. Cash App now has a "Bitcoin Map" showing local businesses that take BTC payments over Lightning. * Leverage auto-invest in Bitcoin without fees or spreads, making frequent BTC buying more accessible. * Use an AI-based assistant, Moneybot, that helps users navigate their finances, track spending, and manage savings. Cash App's leadership frames stablecoin support as a complementary layer to bitcoin: while BTC remains "bitcoin-first," stablecoins offer a fast and stable way to move digital dollars. dLocal and Félix: stablecoin-backed remittances on WhatsApp. In a major push into remittances, dLocal, a payments platform focused on emerging markets, has partnered with Félix Pago, a service that lets users send money directly through WhatsApp, to power instant, stablecoin-funded cross-border transfers. Félix funds transfers using USD Coin (USDC), and dLocal converts that into local currency for recipients in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. In pilot tests, transfers landed in recipients' bank accounts in under two minutes, with a success rate near 99%. This mechanism sidesteps legacy correspondent banking delays and reduces volatility risk by using stablecoins. It also introduces more predictability in high-volume remittance corridors. According to dLocal, this solution addresses a core challenge in emerging markets - making remittances more cost-effective, faster, and accessible through familiar platforms like WhatsApp. Why crypto payments matter and what holds the space back. Why this matters: * Speed and Availability: Stablecoins allow for near-instant, 24/7 global payouts, compared to traditional banking rails that may not operate round-the-clock. * Flexibility & Choice: End users and institutions gain more options - crypto wallets become a legitimate payout target alongside cash or bank accounts. * Cost Efficiency: Transactions over digital-asset rails can reduce reliance on costly intermediaries, especially for cross-border and remittance flows. * Financial Inclusion: Underserved users or regions with weak banking infrastructure can benefit from crypto rails that bypass legacy systems. * Innovation: These developments accelerate the convergence of traditional finance and digital assets, building real-world utility for stablecoins and bitcoin. But there are challenges: * Regulatory Uncertainty: Stablecoin regulations vary widely across jurisdictions. While regulated stablecoins like USDC are relatively safe, regulatory clarity, especially around AML/ KYC and cross-border crypto transfers, remains a hurdle. * Liquidity Risks: Ensuring sufficient liquidity of stablecoins, especially in volatile markets, is non-trivial. Providers need efficient treasury systems to manage 24/7 liquidity. * Technology & Infrastructure: Integrating crypto rails into legacy systems demands robust infrastructure, risk controls, and compliance. Not all incumbents are ready. * User Trust & Adoption: Many users are still unfamiliar with digital assets. Educating customers, and ensuring seamless UX (wallets, on-chain addresses, etc.), is critical. * Counterparty & Stability Risks: While stablecoins aim for price stability, backing, reserve audits, and counterparty risk can still concern financial institutions. Looking ahead. The wave of stablecoin adoption seen in these announcements signals a maturation of crypto use in payments. As Mastercard, Cash App, and dLocal build infrastructure and onboard real users, PaySpace Magazine may see stablecoins evolve from a niche tool into a mainstream payments rail. If these pilots scale, the implications are broad: banks and fintechs will be able to offer more flexible payouts; gig-economy workers, freelancers, and cross-border senders will benefit from reduced cost and latency; and digital wallets could serve as more than speculative or investment vehicles. They could become practical tools for everyday money movement. Still, success hinges on navigating regulation, managing liquidity, and ensuring mass-market usability. But for now, these moves make one thing clear: crypto payments are no longer just speculative, they are being wired into the fabric of global commerce. Pay space. Its editorial team delivers daily news and insights on the global payment industry, covering fintech innovations, worldwide payment methods, and modern payment options.