Balam

What Balam does

Balam, legally Jaguar Technology Labs, S.A.P.I. de C.V., is a Mexico-based fintech platform founded in 2020 that facilitates cross-border stablecoin transfers for Latino users across 8 countries, primarily accessed via WhatsApp. The company operates strictly as an agent or commission merchant, providing a digital interface that routes user instructions to licensed third-party Exchanges (Aliados Comerciales) for FIAT-to-stablecoin buy/sell operations; Balam does not handle funds directly. The service is offered 24/7 through web platforms (getbalam.com.mx, global.getbalam.com, globalm.getbalam.com.mx).

The platform is built on blockchain technology infrastructure supporting asset tokenization and exchange operations, with API-first distribution and a stated value proposition of integrating multiple Exchanges under a single interface. KYC is implemented via facial-recognition biometric capture in compliance with Mexico's LFPDPPP and anti-money laundering regulations. The company is supported by an ecosystem of third-party payment/liquidity providers and AML tool vendors, and currently has no dedicated mobile application.

Balam's revenue model is transaction-based, earning commissions on stablecoin operations routed through partner Exchanges; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The customer base consists of individual and corporate users in Mexico and the United States seeking stablecoin access and cross-border remittance. As of 2024, the public website displays a "Coming Soon" landing page with user-intake forms and a reported engagement indicator of fewer than 20,000 users. The company has raised $400,000 in seed funding from Rockstart (August 2023), operates with 1-10 employees, and is led by co-founders Josep M. Cervera (founder & managing partner) and José Alberto (CEO & co-founder).

Name

Balam

Legal name

Jaguar Technology Labs, S.A.P.I. de C.V.

Website

https://getbalam.com.mx

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Balam is a Mexico-based fintech platform that enables cross-border stablecoin transfers for Latino users across 8 countries via WhatsApp, acting as a commission agent that routes user instructions to licensed third-party Exchanges for FIAT-to-crypto conversions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cross-border Remittance

NAICS

Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage (5231)

SIC

Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200), Commodity Contracts Brokers & Dealers (6221)

akta.pro primary industry

Crypto Remittance & Cross-Border Money Transfer Providers (FSADAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Enterprise Payments & Tokenized Money (stablecoins, tokenized deposits, CBDC rails) (FSAPAIAJ), Compliance, Risk & RegTech for Tokenized Assets (KYC/AML, sanctions, travel rule, reporting) (FSAPAIAH)

Keywords

• Stablecoin transfers
• Cross-border remittance
• Cryptocurrency exchange
• Blockchain payments
• WhatsApp money transfer

Headquarters

HQ city

Polanco

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Commission/Agent Fees: BALAM acts as an agent or commission merchant for stablecoin transactions, earning fees when users execute buy/sell operations through Commercial Partners (Exchanges). The company does not handle funds directly but facilitates transactions between users and third-party Exchanges.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Balam operates a blockchain-based technology platform that allows Latino users to transfer funds across 8 countries via WhatsApp with no upfront fees and in under 15 minutes. The company acts solely as an agent or commission merchant, providing a digital interface that connects users with licensed third-party Commercial Partners (Exchanges) for the actual purchase and sale of stablecoins. The platform facilitates FIAT-to-crypto conversions 24/7 through digital communication channels and instant messaging.

Product overview

Balam operates as a single unified technology platform provided by Jaguar Technology Labs, S.A.P.I. de C.V. The platform offers a fintech solution that connects users with Commercial Allies (third-party Exchanges) for conducting Stablecoin transactions. BALAM functions exclusively as a platform facilitator and agent/broker, providing the interface for users to submit transaction instructions while the actual buying and selling of Stablecoins is handled by partnered Exchanges. The service is available 24/7 and utilizes blockchain technology for asset tokenization and exchange operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Balam Platform A technology platform that serves as an integrated interface for users to submit instructions executed through Commercial Allies (third-party Exchanges) for buying and selling stablecoins. BALAM acts solely as an agent or commission merchant, facilitating connections between users and Exchanges without directly conducting transactions. Service is available 24/7.
• Stablecoin Exchange Facilitation Services Access to Commercial Allies who operate as Exchanges facilitating the purchase and sale of Stablecoins. BALAM acts as an intermediary agent or commission merchant without directly handling transactions, enabling FIAT to crypto conversions through licensed partners.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Aliados Comerciales (Commercial Partners/Exchanges)coreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party Exchanges that handle the actual buying and selling of stablecoins. BALAM acts solely as an agent or commission merchant, referring users to these Commercial Partners who are licensed to operate in the user's country. These partners receive user funds, execute the FIAT to crypto conversions, and deliver the result to the designated recipient.
• Payment and Liquidity ProviderssupportingTechnology or IntegrationThird-party providers that facilitate payment intermediation and liquidity management for the stablecoin exchange services offered through BALAM's platform.
• Anti-Money Laundering Tool ProviderssupportingTechnology or IntegrationThird-party providers of AML compliance tools used for customer identification and transaction monitoring as part of BALAM's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing obligations.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bitso: Mexico-based crypto exchange and remittance platform operating across LatAm. Directly comparable because it facilitates USD-MXN and cross-border stablecoin transfers for Mexican/Latino users, the same customer segment BALAM targets.
• Strike: Bitcoin and stablecoin-based remittance app offering low-cost cross-border transfers, with strong presence in US-Mexico corridor. Comparable because it targets price-sensitive remittance senders using crypto rails for cheaper, faster settlement.
• MoonPay: Crypto on-ramp and payments infrastructure provider offering FIAT-to-stablecoin conversion. Comparable because it provides similar agent/facilitator-style fiat-to-crypto rails that BALAM relies on for its service.
• Transak: Global fiat-to-crypto on-ramp provider with strong emerging-markets coverage. Comparable as it enables the same FIAT-to-stablecoin conversion flow that BALAM orchestrates through its partner exchanges.
• Wyre: Crypto payments infrastructure platform offering fiat on/off ramps and cross-border transfers. Comparable as infrastructure-layer enabler of the FIAT-to-stablecoin flow BALAM depends on.

Broad incumbents

• Remitly: Public, scaled digital remittance incumbent serving US-LatAm corridors. Comparable as it competes for the same Latino cross-border remittance use case, but operates traditional rails rather than crypto.
• Western Union: Global remittance incumbent with deep LatAm cash-pickup network. Comparable as the legacy alternative BALAM displaces on cost and speed for the same user base.
• MoneyGram: Large global money transfer operator with significant LatAm footprint and emerging crypto/stablecoin initiatives. Comparable as a legacy incumbent BALAM competes against on cross-border corridors.
• Binance: World's largest crypto exchange with P2P and remittance-adjacent products across LatAm. Comparable as both a potential partner exchange and a competitor for the same cross-border stablecoin user.

Emerging players

• Xpring (Ripple): Ripple's developer and remittance-focused initiatives target cross-border payments using crypto rails. Comparable because it pursues the same stablecoin/XRP-based remittance use case for underbanked corridors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Balam_MX_
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/balam-tech-mx

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Balam