New statistics released by crypto platform Bitso shows that XRP, as a payment option, is gaining traction with Latin American consumers. XRP currently accounts for 9% of all purchases on the platform and is gaining on much older crypto options like Ethereum and Solana. This marks a huge turnaround from 2023 when the token barely registered in an average customer portfolio in Latin America.
Mexican Users Drive XRP Adoption Throughout The Region
Interest in XRP among the Latin American nations was propelled by Mexican cryptocurrency traders. In Bitso’s report, Mexican users applied 10% of all cryptocurrency buying activity towards stocking up on XRP. This pattern occurred as total platform activity slowed, but XRP buying increased significantly against other cryptocurrencies.
Mexican popularity of XRP is noteworthy because Bitso processed substantial volumes of cross-border payments there. According to their reported volumes, Ripple processed $3.3 billion in remittances through their channel with Bitso in 2022 from the United States into Mexico.
Source: Bitso
Portfolio Composition Reflects Drastic Spike In XRP Holdings
In such a context, the report by Bitso brings out the most impressive discovery: the pace with which XRP came to the portfolios of Latin American cryptos. As of 2023, XRP was non-existent in the typical portfolio composition of Latin American Bitso clients. In 2024, that number had risen to 13%, reflecting a seismic change in local investment patterns.
Source: Bitso
This rapid adoption means portfolios of users in the region now include a significant XRP component, despite the token not registering in portfolio stats just a year earlier. The change signals growing confidence in XRP among Latin American cryptocurrency investors.
Bitcoin And Stablecoins Still Dominate Trading Activity
Though XRP demonstrated impressive growth, Bitcoin and stablecoins are still the leading options among Latin American crypto users. Based on the Bitso report, Bitcoin represented 22% of the total purchases on the platform in 2024, a decrease from nearly 30% during the first half of the year.
Stablecoins led all cryptocurrency categories with almost 40% of purchases attributed to these dollar-pegged cryptocurrencies. Stablecoin appeal is probably due to their application as a local currency inflation hedge and entry point for other crypto investments.
Political Changes And Price Performance Drive Interest
XRP’s 230% price appreciation in 2024 – its best since 2021 – also likely helped to make it so popular. The majority of the rally, as per the report, occurred in the fourth quarter of the year.
The hope for XRP seems linked to US political events. The report indicates Donald Trump’s presidential win and SEC Chair Gary Gensler’s resignation spurred new interest in XRP. These triggered expectations of possible regulatory clarity that could favor XRP and its parent company Ripple, which has faced legal battles with US regulators.
Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView
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