Ripio
Ripio is a Latin American cryptocurrency exchange and stablecoin issuer founded in 2013, operating a regulated crypto platform serving 5M+ users across seven LATAM countries with a proprietary suite of local-fiat stablecoins, Visa card, OTC desk and B2B Crypto-as-a-Service APIs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Ripio does
Ripio is a Latin American cryptocurrency exchange and digital payments platform founded in 2013 in Argentina by Sebastián Serrano, operating as the longest-running crypto exchange brand in the region. The company serves 5M+ active users (and over 25M cumulative registered users per third-party coverage) across Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Uruguay, Chile, and Peru, with regulated entities in the United States (Florida) and Spain. Its core product is the Ripio mobile app and web wallet, which enables buy/sell/manage of 100+ crypto assets, with deep integration of a proprietary suite of six local-fiat stablecoins (wARS, wBRL, wMXN, wCOP, wCLP, wPEN) issued 1:1 against reserves held in local bank accounts and deployed across Ethereum, Base, World Chain, Polygon, Gnosis and BNB Smart Chain.
The technology stack combines MPC-based custody, multi-chain deployment, Chainlink price oracles and DeFi protocol integrations (Aave, Compound, CapyFi, Morpho, Uniswap) to power consumer yields, a Visa prepaid crypto card with cashback, an institutional OTC desk, and a Crypto-as-a-Service B2B API that white-labels infrastructure for banks, fintechs, and platforms. The product line has expanded into real-world asset tokenization via the wAL30RD tokenized Argentine government bond. Ripio generates revenue from retail trading fees, OTC spreads (5,000 USD minimum ticket), CaaS API licensing, DeFi yield spreads, Visa card interchange/FX, and venture returns from its Ripio Ventures investment arm. The company holds multi-jurisdiction regulatory licensing (Argentina CNV PSAV No. 36/37, Florida MSB FT230000427, Banco de España D845) and maintains SOC 1/2 Type 2 certification audited by KPMG for five consecutive years.
Ripio's go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer (self-serve mobile app), B2B API (CaaS white-label), enterprise field sales (OTC desk), channel partnerships (Mercado Pago, Invertir Online, OCA), and event-driven developer relations (Devconnect, Modular Summit). The cumulative disclosed funding totals approximately $94.4M across multiple rounds from 2013-2021, with the largest being a $50M Series B led by Digital Currency Group in September 2021. Named enterprise customers include Mercado Libre/Mercado Pago, Coinbase, Visa, Invertir Online, OCA, Lemon, Belo, Buenbit, CapyFi and Cafecito, while the retail long tail drives consumer wallet and card activity.
Ripio firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ripio
- Legal name
- OTC Investment Solutions SA (operating as Ripio)
- Website
- https://ripio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Ripio is a Latin American cryptocurrency exchange and stablecoin issuer founded in 2013, operating a regulated crypto platform serving 5M+ users across seven LATAM countries with a proprietary suite of local-fiat stablecoins, Visa card, OTC desk and B2B Crypto-as-a-Service APIs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ripio industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cryptocurrency Exchange
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320)
- SIC
- Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200), Finance Services (6199), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Stablecoin Payment Rails & Settlement Networks (Issuer-Led) (FSADADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Compliance, Attestations, Proof-of-Reserves & Reporting (Stablecoins) (FSADADAI), On/Off-Ramps & Fiat Liquidity Providers for Stablecoins (FSADADAG), Enterprise Payments & Tokenized Money (stablecoins, tokenized deposits, CBDC rails) (FSAPAIAJ), B2B Crypto Payouts, Mass Payments & Treasury Disbursements (FSADAIAF)
Keywords
Where Ripio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices9 records
Markets served
Ripio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Retail Crypto Exchange Fees: Trading and conversion fees on the Ripio app for 100+ assets including BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, wFIAT stablecoins and xStocks, plus spreads on retail trades.
- OTC Desk Spread Revenue: Spread and fees on large-volume OTC trades of crypto and fiat for institutional clients, traders and high-net-worth investors (minimum ticket 5,000 USD), with confidential pricing via private order book.
- Crypto-as-a-Service (B2B API): Revenue from licensing the CaaS API stack — including white-label widget, fiat on/off-ramps, MPC custody and tokenization services — to banks, fintechs and platforms.
- DeFi Yield Spread: Spread captured between APYs earned on user balances routed into DeFi protocols (CapyFi, Aave, Compound) and the variable yield passed through to users.
- Crypto Card Interchange and FX: Interchange and FX margin on transactions made with the Ripio Crypto Card (Visa), including cashback programs in crypto (2% standard, 4% for new users first 30 days) and ARS (0.5%/1%).
- Ventures Investment Returns: Returns from the Ripio Ventures® investment portfolio backing early-stage Web3 teams (DeFi, infrastructure, gaming, DAOs).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Ripio Wallet and App — free self-custody-style account |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Ripio Crypto Card (Visa) — free issuance, no maintenance fee |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | DeFi Yields — variable APY, no lock-up |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Ripio OTC Desk — institutional minimum ticket 5,000 USD |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Crypto-as-a-Service (B2B API) — quote-based |
Go-to-market motion5 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
Ripio product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ripio is a Latin American cryptocurrency exchange and fintech platform founded in 2013 that operates a consumer mobile wallet app (iOS/Android) for buying, selling, and holding 100+ crypto assets, a Visa prepaid crypto card, an institutional OTC desk, and a B2B Crypto-as-a-Service API for partners. It also issues the wFIAT suite of 1:1 local-currency-pegged stablecoins (wARS, wBRL, wCOP, wMXN, wCLP, wPEN) backed by audited fiat reserves across multiple blockchains.
Product overview
Ripio is a Latin American cryptocurrency platform, founded in 2013 in Argentina, that operates as a unified exchange-plus-modules ecosystem for retail and institutional users. Its core product is the Ripio App / Crypto Wallet, which serves as the consumer-facing hub and provides access to over 100 crypto assets, with deep integration of the proprietary wFIAT family of local-currency stablecoins (wARS, wBRL, wCOP, wMXN, wCLP, wPEN, and the tokenized wAL30RD Argentine government bond). Built around the wallet are complementary products: Rendimientos (DeFi yield automation via Aave, Compound, and CapyFi), the Ripio Card (Visa prepaid crypto card with cashback), Ripio OTC (institutional over-the-counter desk), Crypto as a Service (B2B APIs and whitelabel widget for partners like Mercado Pago), the wFiat Bridge (cross-chain stablecoin bridge), the Calculadora de Ahorro (savings simulator), and Pagos con Cripto (QR/Pix/contactless/service payments). The group also encompasses Ripio Ventures (Web3 investment arm), Ripio Select/Ripio US (US-licensed Money Services Business), and Ripio Launchpad (educational content). All products tie back to the central wallet experience, with stablecoin issuance and B2B infrastructure serving as the connective tissue across the LATAM crypto ecosystem.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ripio Card: Visa prepaid crypto card offering cashback in USDT, BTC, or ETH.
- Ripio OTC
- Ripio Ventures
- wFIAT
- LaChain
Products and services
- Ripio App / Crypto Wallet The flagship consumer-facing mobile application and web wallet enabling LATAM users to buy, sell, send, and receive more than 100 cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT, USDC, and Ripio's local stablecoins (wARS, wBRL, wCOP, wMXN, wCLP, wPEN); supports QR/Pix payments, bill payments, and provides a Proof of Reserves dashboard.
- Ripio Crypto Card (Visa) International Visa prepaid card (physical and virtual) enabling users to pay at any merchant using crypto or pesos, supporting contactless via Apple Pay/Google Pay, with automatic conversion at point of sale and crypto or ARS cashback rewards.
- Rendimientos (DeFi Yields) DeFi yield product that automatically routes user crypto balances (BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, DAI, wARS, wBRL) into audited DeFi protocols such as Aave, Compound, and CapyFi to generate daily yields without locking user funds.
- wARS (Argentine Peso Stablecoin) 1:1 Argentine peso-pegged wrapped stablecoin launched November 2025 on Ethereum, Coinbase Base, and World Chain; backed by ARS reserves held in Argentine bank accounts with monthly third-party collateral attestations.
- wBRL (Brazilian Real Stablecoin) 1:1 Brazilian real-pegged wrapped stablecoin deployed on multiple blockchains; backed by BRL reserves held in Brazilian bank accounts and certified by local public accountants.
- wMXN (Mexican Peso Stablecoin) 1:1 Mexican peso-pegged wrapped stablecoin deployed on Ethereum, World Chain, and Base; backed by MXN reserves held in Mexican bank accounts and certified by local public accountants.
- wCOP (Colombian Peso Stablecoin) 1:1 Colombian peso-pegged wrapped stablecoin deployed across Ethereum, World Chain, Base, Polygon, Gnosis, and BNB Smart Chain; backed by COP reserves held in Colombian bank accounts and certified by local public accountants.
- wCLP (Chilean Peso Stablecoin) 1:1 Chilean peso-pegged wrapped stablecoin deployed on WorldChain and additional networks; provides on-chain native Chilean stablecoin infrastructure backed by CLP reserves.
- wPEN (Peruvian Sol Stablecoin) 1:1 Peruvian sol-pegged wrapped stablecoin deployed on WorldChain and additional networks; provides on-chain native Peruvian stablecoin infrastructure backed by PEN reserves.
- wAL30RD (Argentine Government Bond Token) Tokenized representation of Argentina's AL30 sovereign bond, enabling on-chain exposure to Argentine government debt as part of Ripio's real-world asset (RWA) tokenization initiative.
- Ripio OTC (Over-the-Counter Desk) Institutional over-the-counter trading desk offering high-volume crypto and fiat operations with competitive pricing, dedicated account executives, confidential execution via a private order book, and support for international payments, treasury solutions, and mass payouts.
- Crypto as a Service (B2B API) B2B infrastructure offering APIs, whitelabel widget, and fiat on/off ramps that enable banks, fintechs, exchanges, and institutions to embed crypto services (buy, sell, swap, send, receive, custody) within their own platforms, leveraging MPC-based custody.
- Trading API Trading API (apidocs.ripiotrade.co) that automates crypto operations with real-time market endpoints, suitable for trading desks and fintech integrations.
- Retail API Unified API (apidocs.ripio.com) providing access to wallets and trading with consistent contracts and real-time endpoints for retail client integrations.
- wFiat Bridge Cross-chain bridge (bridge.ripio.com) enabling users to move wFIAT stablecoins between supported blockchains (Ethereum, Base, World Chain, Polygon, Gnosis, BNB Smart Chain).
- Pagos con Cripto (Crypto Payments) Crypto payment suite enabling users to pay via QR/Pix, contactless, or Ripio Card, and to pay more than 5,000 services (electricity, gas, internet, phone) directly from the app using crypto or pesos.
- Calculadora de Ahorro (Savings Calculator) Web-based simulator that projects the growth of stablecoin holdings with recurring contributions and DeFi yields across wARS, USDT, USDC, BTC, and ETH via CapyFi, including comparisons with traditional savings options such as cash, plazo fijo, and US banks.
- Ripio Select / Ripio US (OTCIS LLC) US-based Money Services Business entity (OTCIS LLC) holding Money Transmitter Part II License FT230000427 from the Florida Office of Financial Regulation; serves the United States market under the Ripio Select/Ripio US brand.
Quantifiable outcome
- 5M+ active users across LATAM (per Ripio official site)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Ripio
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Ripio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration13 records
Feature7 records
Ripio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- AaveflagshipRipio is one of the LATAM fintech partners integrating Aave's decentralized lending protocol into its consumer app, enabling users to earn yields on stablecoins without direct blockchain interaction, as part of Aave's LATAM financial inclusion initiative alongside Lemon, Belo and Buenbit.
- ChainlinkcoreRipio integrated the first Chainlink price feed for its wFIAT stablecoins on Ethereum Mainnet, starting with the BRL/USD pair, enabling DeFi protocols like Aave, Morpho and Compound to read on-chain valuations.
- PolygoncorePolygon hosts Ripio's wFIAT stablecoin contracts alongside Ethereum, Base, World Chain, Gnosis and BNB Smart Chain as part of the multi-chain expansion announced March 2026.
- GnosiscoreGnosis Chain is one of the deployment networks for wFIAT stablecoins as part of the March 2026 multi-chain expansion.
- BNB Smart ChaincoreBNB Smart Chain is one of the deployment networks for wFIAT stablecoins as part of the March 2026 multi-chain expansion.
- CapyFicoreCapyFi is the primary DeFi lending protocol powering Ripio's automatic daily yields across BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, DAI, wARS and wBRL; the first collateralized wARS loan was executed on CapyFi in December 2025, validating wARS as collateral.
- UniswapcoreUniswap hosts USDC/wFIAT (wARS, wPEN, wCLP) trading pairs on Base and World Chain, providing deeper liquidity and lower-friction on-chain FX for Ripio's local stablecoins.
- Base (Coinbase L2)flagshipBase is one of the original three launch networks for the wARS Argentine peso stablecoin in November 2025, alongside Ethereum and World Chain.
- World / World Chain (Tools for Humanity)flagshipWorld Chain is a primary deployment venue for Ripio's wFIAT stablecoins (wARS, wBRL, wCOP, wMXN, wCLP, wPEN), hosting the majority of token supply. Devconnect ETH Week adopted wFiat as the preferred payment method.
- Mercado Libre / Mercado PagoflagshipMercado Pago (Mercado Libre) partnered with Ripio's Crypto-as-a-Service API to enable the launch of the Meli Dolar stablecoin for buying and selling inside the Mercado Pago app in Brazil. Ripio's logo appears on the B2B API landing page and the launchpad case study.
- CoinbaseflagshipCoinbase lists Ripio as a global partner (OTC and B2B pages) and announced a partnership with Ripio for local operations in Argentina following Coinbase's pause of local fiat rails. Coinbase's Base L2 is also a primary deployment chain for Ripio's wFIAT stablecoins.
- VisaflagshipRipio issues international prepaid Visa cards (virtual and physical) under the Crypto Card product, supporting contactless, Apple Pay and Google Pay across Visa's global merchant network with 2% crypto cashback and 0.5% ARS cashback.
- Invertir Online (IOL)coreLatin American online broker IOL is featured as a global partner on the Ripio OTC and Crypto-as-a-Service pages, supporting institutional-grade crypto trading services.
- OCAcoreOCA is featured as a global partner on the Ripio OTC and Crypto-as-a-Service pages, supporting institutional-grade crypto trading and logistics-linked financial services.
- KPMGcoreKPMG audits Ripio's SOC 1 and SOC 2 Type 2 reports; logo displayed in Ripio's "verified by" footer.
- EY (Ernst & Young)coreEY is displayed in Ripio's "verified by" footer alongside KPMG as an audit and assurance partner.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ripio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mercado Bitcoin: Brazil's largest cryptocurrency exchange, operating a retail trading platform, tokenized assets and B2B infrastructure across LATAM. Most directly comparable to Ripio on geography, retail crypto trading and regulated exchange positioning.
- Bitso: Mexico-headquartered crypto exchange with operations across Argentina, Brazil and other LATAM countries, offering retail trading, stablecoin rails and B2B services. Highly comparable to Ripio in product mix and regional footprint.
- Lemon Cash: Argentine consumer crypto app with 130,000+ active customers and ~$40M in deposits, partnered with Aave in the same LATAM DeFi network as Ripio. Directly comparable on Argentine retail crypto and DeFi-yield positioning.
- Belo: Argentine crypto-fiat platform offering dollar-denominated savings and consumer crypto services. Comparable to Ripio's Rendimientos and stablecoin savings products in the Argentine retail segment.
- Buenbit: LATAM-focused crypto platform with operations in Argentina and other markets offering crypto savings and on/off-ramps. Direct competitor for stablecoin-denominated savings flows in Argentina.
- Paxos: US-regulated stablecoin issuer and custody/crypto infrastructure provider listed as a Ripio ally on the corporate homepage. Comparable on regulated stablecoin issuance, custody and B2B crypto-as-a-service offerings.
Broad incumbents
- Binance: Global crypto exchange with significant retail and OTC presence across LATAM. Overlaps with Ripio on retail trading, OTC desk and stablecoin trading, but operates as a broad incumbent rather than a LATAM-native specialist.
- Coinbase: US-listed global crypto exchange that has explicitly partnered with Ripio for Argentine market presence and provides Base L2 deployment for wFIAT. Comparable on exchange and custody services but as a broad incumbent, not a LATAM specialist.
Emerging players
- Pomelo: LATAM fintech infrastructure provider listed as a Ripio ally, offering card issuing, account and payment APIs. Comparable as an adjacent LATAM fintech infrastructure player overlapping on payments and B2B API distribution.
Others
- Mercado Pago (Mercado Libre): LATAM's largest digital payments platform and Ripio's flagship CaaS customer (Meli Dolar). Adjacent more than direct — a partner and customer — but overlapping on stablecoin-rail strategy for the Brazilian consumer market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ripio social profiles
Digital presenceRipio compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
Ripio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ripio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Ripio subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries11 records
Ripio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds11 records
Investors20 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ripio M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments4 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ripio
What does Ripio do?
Ripio is a Latin American cryptocurrency exchange and fintech platform founded in 2013 that operates a consumer mobile wallet app (iOS/Android) for buying, selling, and holding 100+ crypto assets, a Visa prepaid crypto card, an institutional OTC desk, and a B2B Crypto-as-a-Service API for partners. It also issues the wFIAT suite of 1:1 local-currency-pegged stablecoins (wARS, wBRL, wCOP, wMXN, wCLP, wPEN) backed by audited fiat reserves across multiple blockchains.
Is Ripio a public or private company?
Ripio is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Ripio founded?
Ripio was founded in 2013. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Ripio based?
Ripio is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ripio make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Retail Crypto Exchange Fees are the primary driver. The others are OTC Desk Spread Revenue, crypto-as-a-Service (B2B API), deFi Yield Spread, crypto Card Interchange and FX and ventures Investment Returns.
Who are Ripio's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mercado Bitcoin, Bitso, Lemon Cash, Belo, Buenbit and Paxos. Broad incumbents are Binance and Coinbase. Pomelo is listed as an emerging player. Mercado Pago (Mercado Libre) is listed as an others.
Does Ripio have an API?
Yes. Ripio offers a B2B Crypto-as-a-Service API allowing business partners to integrate crypto buy/sell, send/receive, swap (more than 400 tokens), fiat on/off ramps, custody (MPC-based, multi-chain), and a whitelabel widget. A separate Trading API (apidocs.ripiotrade.co) automates market operations with real-time endpoints, and a Retail API (apidocs.ripio.com) provides a unified interface for wallets and trading with consistent contracts and real-time endpoints. Authentication via API key, available to enterprise/partner clients. Developer documentation is at docs.ripio.com/crypto-as-a-service/overview/introduction.
What industry is Ripio in?
Ripio's product category is Cryptocurrency Exchange. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSADADAF, Stablecoin Payment Rails & Settlement Networks (Issuer-Led), with a secondary code of FSADADAI, Compliance, Attestations, Proof-of-Reserves & Reporting (Stablecoins). Its NAICS code is 522320 and its SIC code is 6200.