Buda
Buda.com is a Santiago-headquartered cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2015, operating across Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Argentina. It serves over 600,000 retail, professional, and institutional users with spot trading, OTC desk, crypto-backed lending, and a public API, regulated under Chile's Fintec Law.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersSantiago, Chile
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Buda does
Buda.com is a cryptocurrency exchange platform founded in 2015 and headquartered in Santiago, Chile, serving retail, professional, and institutional clients across Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Argentina. The platform supports trading in eight cryptocurrencies (BTC, ETH, SOL, USDC, USDT, LTC, BCH) against local currencies (CLP, COP, PEN) via a self-serve mobile and web interface, a professional BudaPRO trading interface, a public REST API at api.buda.com, and a dedicated OTC desk for transactions of USD 100,000 and above. The company has facilitated over USD 3 billion in cumulative trading volume and serves more than 600,000 users across the region.
The platform's technical infrastructure centers on multi-signature cold wallet custody with more than 90% of assets held offline, Bitcoin Lightning Network integration (a global first for an exchange), and multi-chain deposit and withdrawal support. Buda is regulated under Chile's Ley Fintec (Law 21.521) by the CMF, operates the Peruvian market through subsidiary SURBTC S.A., and conducts financial intermediation and cross-border payment services via related entity Buda Bridge SpA. The platform maintains 99.9% uptime, runs an AML/CFT program leveraging Chainalysis and Compliance Tracker, and was the first crypto company globally to neutralize its carbon footprint.
Revenue is generated primarily through transaction-based fees: percentage commissions on spot exchange trades, bid-ask spreads on OTC and Bridge-intermediated transactions, interest on Bitcoin-collateralized credit lines (up to 70M CLP per loan), and crypto network withdrawal fees. The go-to-motion combines product-led growth for retail and developer segments (self-serve mobile apps, referral program paying 20% of referred-user commissions for one year, public API) with enterprise field sales and dedicated account management for corporate clients, OTC counterparties, and institutional traders.
Buda firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Buda
- Legal name
- Buda.com SpA
- Website
- https://buda.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Buda.com is a Santiago-headquartered cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2015, operating across Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Argentina. It serves over 600,000 retail, professional, and institutional users with spot trading, OTC desk, crypto-backed lending, and a public API, regulated under Chile's Fintec Law.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Buda industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cryptocurrency Exchange
- NAICS
- Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)
- SIC
- Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200), Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Crypto Custody & Exchange Wallet Services (Integrated) (FSADAAAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Crypto-Backed Consumer Loans (Secured) (FSADAFAG), Treasury Management & Corporate Crypto Yield Programs (FSADAHAL)
Keywords
Where Buda is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santiago
- HQ country
- Chile
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Buda business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Trading Commissions: Percentage-based commission on exchange transactions, charged at time of transaction execution, varies by transaction type, cryptocurrency, and user trading volume
- Bid-Ask Spread: Difference between base quote and executed price for operations, applied to OTC and certain transactions executed through Buda Bridge intermediary
- Crypto-backed Credit Interest: Interest earned on instant credit facilities secured by Bitcoin collateral, with flexible payment options including interest-only payments
- Crypto Withdrawal Fees: Network fees charged for cryptocurrency withdrawals, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Litecoin, USDC, USDT with priority options for faster processing
- OTC Trading Services: Over-the-counter desk for large volume transactions (USD 100,000+) with personalized service, private quotations, and expedited settlement
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Bank Transfer (Chile) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Credit Card Deposit (Webpay Chile) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Bitcoin Lightning Network |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Bitcoin Mainnet |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Ethereum Mainnet (ERC-20) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | USDC/USDT on Ethereum |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | USDC/USDT on Solana |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Solana |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Referral Program |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | OTC Trading |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels11 records
Buda product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Buda.com operates a cryptocurrency exchange platform enabling individuals and businesses across South America (Chile, Colombia, Peru, Argentina) to buy, sell, and store digital assets including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, USDC, USDT, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash using local currencies (CLP, COP, PEN). The platform provides retail trading, professional trading (BudaPRO), over-the-counter (OTC) execution for large orders, institutional custody and corporate accounts (Cuenta Empresa), crypto-backed loans (Créditos), and a public API for programmatic trading.
Product overview
Buda.com is a South American cryptocurrency exchange platform operated by Buda.com SpA, offering a multi-product ecosystem spanning retail trading (core platform), professional trading (BudaPRO), institutional services (Cuenta Empresa), large-volume OTC trading (Mesa OTC), and crypto-backed lending (Créditos). The platform covers Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Argentina, supports 8 cryptocurrencies, and is built on a public API (api.buda.com) for programmatic access. The mobile app extends all core services to iOS and Android, while the referral program (Programa de Referidos) drives user growth and educational guides serve as an acquisition and retention tool. Buda Bridge SpA handles cross-border payment intermediation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Buda.com Core Exchange Platform The main cryptocurrency exchange platform enabling users to buy and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, USDC, USDT, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash with local currencies (CLP, COP, PEN). Operates 24/7 across Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Argentina.
- Buda Mobile App (iOS/Android) Mobile application available on the App Store and Google Play enabling users to trade cryptocurrencies, manage wallets, and access loan services from their phones.
- BudaPRO Professional Trading Platform Professional trading interface offering multiple order types and cryptocurrencies on a low-latency, high-availability platform with direct access to the order book and deep market liquidity.
- Mesa OTC (Over-the-Counter Desk) Over-the-counter trading desk for large-volume cryptocurrency transactions with a minimum order size of USD 100,000, offering private pricing, expert guidance, and settlement within minutes.
- Cuenta Empresa (Enterprise Account) Institutional cryptocurrency account service for businesses offering multi-user management, secure custody with 90%+ funds in offline vaults, and 24/7 crypto payment capabilities in Bitcoin or USDC.
- Créditos (Crypto-Backed Loans) Instant crypto-backed loan service where users deposit Bitcoin as collateral to receive Chilean pesos without selling their investment, with flexible repayment, repactation, and automatic margin call management.
- Buda Public REST API Public REST API enabling programmatic access to markets, order book data, trading, and account management for developers, professional traders, and fintech integrations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 90%+ of cryptocurrencies held in cold storage disconnected from internet
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Buda
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Buda technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature5 records
Buda partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SURBTC S.A. (Peru Entity)coreBuda.com operates through SURBTC S.A. in Peru, identified with RUC 20602082891, located at Av. Circunvalación Club Golf Los Incas 202, of. 801, Lima. This is the legal entity operating in the Peruvian market.
- Buda Bridge SpAcoreBuda Bridge SpA (RUT 77.615.126-2) is a related company providing financial intermediation services, OTC services, and cross-border payment services for Buda.com operations.
- Webpay (Chile)coreWebpay payment processor enables credit and debit card deposits for Chilean users, charging 2.92% for credit cards and 1.49% for debit cards.
- ChainalysiscoreBlockchain analysis tool used for AML/CFT compliance, analyzing cryptocurrency transactions to identify addresses linked to illicit activities using blockchain traceability.
- Compliance TrackercoreRestricted lists query tool used for KYC/AML compliance verification of users.
- Interbank (Peru)minorPartner bank in Peru for fiat transactions and cross-border payment services.
- Fintech ChileminorActive contributor to Fintech Chile association, participating in industry development and regulation advocacy.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Buda competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bitso: Mexico-based cryptocurrency exchange operating across Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia with retail trading, stablecoin rails, and cross-border payments via Bitso Business. Closest direct competitor to Buda in the LatAm region, with substantially larger funding base (~$250M+ raised) and broader country footprint.
- Mercado Bitcoin: Brazil's largest cryptocurrency exchange offering retail trading, OTC, custody, and tokenized assets. Direct regional peer to Buda in the South American crypto market with similar multi-product strategy and regulatory positioning, though anchored in Brazil rather than the Andean region.
- Ripio: Argentina-headquartered crypto platform serving Argentina and Brazil with exchange, OTC, lending, and crypto debit card products. Directly comparable to Buda in targeting Spanish-speaking LatAm retail and enterprise users with multi-product crypto services.
Regional players
- Buenbit: Argentina-focused crypto exchange and on/off-ramp provider operating in Argentina, Mexico, and Peru. Comparable to Buda in retail crypto trading and stablecoin remittance use cases across overlapping LatAm geographies.
- Lemon Cash: Argentina-based crypto fintech offering exchange, payments, and a Visa debit card funded by crypto, primarily serving Argentine users. Regional peer with comparable retail crypto onboarding focus on Spanish-speaking South American markets.
Broad incumbents
- Binance: Global cryptocurrency exchange with the largest trading volume worldwide, actively expanding across Latin America with localized P2P, fiat on-ramps, and a Brazil-domiciled entity. Represents the dominant incumbent encroaching on Buda's regional market with vastly deeper liquidity and asset coverage.
- Coinbase: US-listed, US-regulated cryptocurrency exchange with global expansion ambitions and institutional custody (Coinbase Prime). Broader incumbent establishing a presence in LatAm via local partnerships and brand recognition that competes with Buda's enterprise and professional trading segments.
- Kraken: US-based cryptocurrency exchange known for security, professional trading, and staking. Competes with Buda's BudaPRO offering for professional traders and OTC clients in Latin America who may route to globally recognized platforms.
- Crypto.com: Global cryptocurrency exchange with heavy retail marketing and a Visa card program, expanding presence in Latin America. Comparable to Buda on retail onboarding and stablecoin-driven payments use cases.
- OKX: Global cryptocurrency exchange offering spot, derivatives, and Web3 wallet services, with growing penetration in emerging markets. Represents an incumbent competitor for Buda's professional trader and OTC client segments via deep liquidity and low fees.
Market position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Buda social profiles
Digital presenceBuda compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Buda financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Buda leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Buda subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Buda funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Buda M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Buda
What does Buda do?
Buda.com operates a cryptocurrency exchange platform enabling individuals and businesses across South America (Chile, Colombia, Peru, Argentina) to buy, sell, and store digital assets including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, USDC, USDT, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash using local currencies (CLP, COP, PEN). The platform provides retail trading, professional trading (BudaPRO), over-the-counter (OTC) execution for large orders, institutional custody and corporate accounts (Cuenta Empresa), crypto-backed loans (Créditos), and a public API for programmatic trading.
Is Buda a public or private company?
Buda is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Buda founded?
Buda was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Buda based?
Buda is headquartered in Santiago, Chile, in the Latin America region.
How does Buda make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Trading Commissions are the primary driver. The others are bid-Ask Spread, crypto-backed Credit Interest, crypto Withdrawal Fees and OTC Trading Services.
Who are Buda's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bitso, Mercado Bitcoin and Ripio. Regional players are Buenbit and Lemon Cash. Broad incumbents are Binance, Coinbase, Kraken, Crypto.com and OKX.
Does Buda have an API?
Yes. Buda.com offers a public API enabling programmatic access to markets, order book data, trading, and account management. The API is documented at api.buda.com and referenced in the platform terms as available for users to connect and build automated trading systems. Buda Pro is described as an advanced order-execution interface integrated into the platform, allowing users to interact directly with the order book via multiple order types. Developer documentation is at api.buda.com.
What industry is Buda in?
Buda's product category is Cryptocurrency Exchange. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSADAAAG, Crypto Custody & Exchange Wallet Services (Integrated), with a secondary code of FSADAFAG, Crypto-Backed Consumer Loans (Secured). Its NAICS code is 523 and its SIC code is 6200.