Latam Insights: Brazil Defies Trump’s Threats; Meliuz Seeks Funding to Purchase BTC

2025-06-08 10:43:06

Welcome to Latam Insights, a compilation of the most relevant crypto news from Latin America over the past week. In this week’s edition, Lula defies Trump’s tariff threats, Meliuz seeks financing to increase its bitcoin reserves, and Tether invests in Chile-based Orionx.

Brazil Defies Trump Tariff Threats, Backs Dollar-Free BRICS Trade

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said in a June 3 interview with Le Monde that Brazil and its partner nations will continue charting their own economic course, despite recent warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Lula made clear that threats of high tariffs on countries moving away from the dollar in trade settlements would not influence Brazil’s decisions: “Trump’s threats don’t scare anyone. We will act in the interests of our countries and fight for fairer international trade.” While admitting, “It’s not easy,” the Brazilian leader stressed:

Asking Washington for permission to choose the currency we consider most appropriate for our trade transactions is out of the question.

Lula, commenting on Trump’s approach to foreign policy since taking office in January, remarked that Trump was chosen by Americans “to govern the United States, not the entire world.” While asserting Brazil’s sovereign right to determine its trade policy, Lula acknowledged that bilateral relations remain amicable, noting Brazil’s relatively lower 10% tariff exposure compared to other nations. Nonetheless, he signaled readiness to retaliate if diplomacy fails, stating that his ministers had been instructed to exhaust negotiations before resorting to reciprocal tariffs.

Meliuz Seeks Funding to Buy Nearly $80 Million Worth of Bitcoin

Meliuz, a Brazilian cashback company that became the first to establish a bitcoin strategic reserve in Latam, revealed it intends to purchase nearly $80 million more worth of bitcoin.

The company announced a public share offering to raise the funds needed, with a ceiling of 34,013,606 shares. BTG Pactual, the bank organizing the sale, has committed to purchasing the shares not acquired by the general market. Nonetheless, this is a real test for Meliuz, which can cancel this fundraising process if there is no demand for its activities, effectively turning this process into a thermometer for the company’s new bitcoin agenda.

Tether Leads Strategic Investment in Orionx to Increase Stablecoin Adoption in Latam

Tether, the leading stablecoin company, has announced a strategic investment in Orionx, a Chile-based, stablecoin-focused financial services company. The undisclosed investment closes Orionx’s series A funding round and positions Tether as the leader in this process.

The funds will be leveraged to accelerate the expansion of Orionx’s solutions across Latam, having already a foothold in several countries in the region, including Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Mexico.

Orionx’s systems enable the integration of stablecoins for several use cases, including serving businesses with platforms capable of completing cross-border payments and providing fiat ramps.