Aníbal Garrido, cryptocurrency advisor, believes that Argentina will follow in Trump’s footsteps.
In the near future, more strategic bitcoin reserves will arrive in Latin America.
There are exactly two weeks left until Donald Trump assumes the presidency of the United States. A milestone for the businessman, who repeats his stay in Washington after four years of Democratic government. On his agenda, bitcoin (BTC) and cryptocurrencies shine like precious stones. And its policy in favor of the ecosystem could have a notable impact on the world, especially in Latin America.
During his campaign, Donald Trump made several promises for the cryptocurrency ecosystem, highlighting his intention to convert the United States in the “crypto capital of the world”in his words.
Among its proposals is the creation of a strategic bitcoin reserve, supporting bitcoin and cryptocurrency mining in the country and ensure the right to self-custody of digital assets.
In addition, he has pledged to oppose the creation of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) already eliminate capital gains taxes in bitcoin transactions.
All of these are policies that will have a certain and varied impact on the ecosystem, especially among users, investors and companies in Latin America. where cryptocurrencies already have a more than established place. This is due to the enormous influence of the world’s largest economy on this region.
Aníbal Garrido, cryptocurrency advisor and director of the BT&C Academy at the Andrés Bello Catholic University (UCAB), told CriptoNoticias that the impact of Trump’s pro-cryptocurrency policies in Latin America will be measured, mostly, in terms of the regulation of the emerging sector. This is because the adoption of bitcoin and its ecosystem “goes beyond acquisition and focuses on its use.”
As the Venezuelan specialist sees it, it is likely that the Trump administration’s push “is focused on opening up regulation,” which would guarantee “the entry of new investors, but not real users.”
This vision is not shared by María Fernanda Juppet, the executive director of the CryptoMKT exchange, who in statements to this medium considered that, if the coming Trump government adopts a clear and favorable stance towards these assets, the United States will generate “a domino effect in the “pro-crypto policies” in the Latin American region, both at the adoptive and regulatory levels.
In his opinion, these Trump policies can encourage Latin American governments to consider cryptocurrencies “as a key tool for financial inclusion and economic development.”
“In addition, regulatory moves in the US often influence regulatory frameworks in the region, setting precedents that countries tend to follow,” Juppet added.
An example of United States policies that have been replicated by Latin American countries is the reduction of taxes to stimulate the economy.
During the first administration of Donald Trump, a tax reform was implemented in 2017 that included significant tax reductions for both businesses and individuals. This measure was seen as a way to encourage economic growth and investment that was emulated by Mexico, Chile and Brazil.
In the case of pro-cryptocurrency policies in the US, Garrido believes that Argentina will be first on the list of nations that will follow Trump’s pattern “most likely due to their affinity in the government lines of both administrations.”
For its part, Juppet believes that Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, in addition to Argentina, are the nations that “have significant potential to take favorable measures towards cryptocurrencies.” from the path outlined by the Trump Administration.
The impact of Trump’s policies will be diverse
Juppet sees that once Trump’s pro-cryptocurrency policies are established in his government, the impact will begin to be felt through increased interest from financial institutions and Latin American governments“accompanied by a possible increase in foreign investment in projects in the region.”
“We could see further development of clearer and more favorable regulatory frameworks in countries seeking to attract foreign capital. In addition, it is likely that technology companies and startups in the region will receive a boost by aligning themselves with global trends driven from the US,” he added.
Garrido, for his part, believes that This initial impact will be measured directly in the price of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. “And perhaps in the initiative of some other nation to follow in the regulatory footsteps of the North American giant,” he said.
Juppet maintains that Trump has some tasks to accomplish to really influence the bitcoin ecosystem. Among them, “implement a clear and favorable regulatory framework that provides legal certainty to the actors in the ecosystem, including companies, users and institutional investors.”
The businesswoman believes that the Trump government should recognize bitcoin as a financial asset on equal terms with traditionalestablishing clear guidelines for its use and marketing. In addition, it will have to facilitate investment in cryptocurrencies through tax incentives or reductions in regulatory barriers, in his opinion.
The CryptoMKT board also maintains that Trump should encourage the integration of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies into traditional financial systems. and promote the adoption of these assets at the state levelin addition to leading innovation in the sector “through financing research and development projects in this technology.”
Garrido, more concise, thinks that for Trump and his government to really influence the bitcoin and cryptocurrency ecosystem worldwide, They must “carry out exchange transactions” that involve the use of these digital assets as money “and not only as a refuge of value.”
“It is not a lack of autonomy”
For both specialists, the fact that countries are beginning to follow in Trump’s footsteps regarding cryptocurrencies It is not a lack of autonomy. For Juppet, that rather reflects “the reality of a globalized world.”
“Countries tend to adapt to the trends and policies of the most influential economies. This does not mean giving up autonomy, but taking advantage of opportunities to modernize and strengthen their own economies,” said the CryptoMKT board.
“Latin America has the ability to adapt these policies to their specific contexts, developing regulatory frameworks that benefit their citizens and encourage local innovation,” he added.
For Garrido, who is also the executive director of the BTC Techno firm, the autonomy of nations and economic openness “they are not related.”
“The initial interest will be based on attracting capital to the economies of nations and for this diversification is key,” he stated. “That a giant of the world economy takes a step is simply a signal that nations seeking development will try to emulate,” he added.
Bitcoin reserves in Latin countries and companies
Considering that the issue of strategic bitcoin reserves at the nation-state level is on the rise due to the promises of Donald Trump and the example of MicroStrategyboth Juppet and Garrido agree that this trend will certainly reach Latin America. But it is still a way to go.
The trend of companies and countries adopting their own bitcoin reserves has intensified in recent months, reflecting a growing recognition of the potential value and stability that this currency offers.
This strategy seeks diversify national and corporate reservesprotect against inflation and currency control, and position itself at the forefront of the digital economy.
As reported by CriptoNoticias, dozens of companies around the world, as well as several countries on different continents, have shown interest in forming their own bitcoin reservesin a trend that has gained notable momentum since Donald Trump won the November 2024 presidential election.
Juppet maintains the idea that Latin countries and companies with their own BTC treasuries It is an “ambitious scenario”, but it is not impossible to achieve. And this is so since “some companies are already exploring similar strategies, and governments with economies in crisis could consider bitcoin as a tool to diversify their reserves or protect themselves from inflation.”
“However, implementation at the state level in Latin America will depend on the speed with which clear regulatory frameworks are developed and the political interest in adopting innovative strategies,” he indicated.
Garrido, on the other hand, considers that for this year it is not feasible to see any country or company in Latin America creating your BTC reservesdespite progress in countries like Brazil. “But yes for the near future, in which the capitalization of bitcoin is more robust in comparative terms with another store of value such as gold,” he stated.
