Guaraná Bank

What Guaraná Bank does

Guaraná Bank (branded as Guarana₿ and operated by Guarana Capital LLC, a US-domiciled LLC) is a Bitcoin-backed credit application that enables individuals to borrow USDT stablecoins against Bitcoin collateral without selling their holdings. Users complete KYC, deposit BTC into a 2-of-3 multisig vault held in regulated segregated institutional custody, and receive USDT-denominated loan proceeds directly to their wallet. Loan parameters are fixed at a 50% maximum loan-to-value ratio, a 12.7% APR with daily interest accrual, terms ranging from 30 to 365 days, and a $250K maximum loan size. Automated margin management triggers margin calls at 70% LTV and partial liquidations at 80% LTV, with no rehypothecation of collateral.

The platform is built around a transparent, self-serve digital experience: all pricing, fees, and thresholds are displayed upfront via a real-time loan calculator, and no credit checks are performed — Bitcoin itself serves as the credit input. The company earns revenue through two streams: a 1.5% upfront origination fee deducted from loan proceeds and 12.7% APR interest collected at repayment (early or at maturity), with no prepayment penalties.

Guaraná targets Bitcoin holders who want liquidity without triggering taxable sale events or forfeiting long-term BTC appreciation potential. Distribution is product-led: a direct web platform (guaranab.io) with a waiting list captures initial demand. The company was founded in 2023 by three co-founders — Andrés Maceira (CEO), Pablo Garrido (COO), and Gustavo Solt (CTO) — with 1-10 disclosed employees. It was selected as the first Brazilian startup in the Bank of America Breakthrough Lab 2023-2024 cohort and operates with a São Paulo headquarters while serving Latin American markets.

Name

Guaraná Bank

Legal name

Guarana Capital LLC

Website

https://guaranabank.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Guaraná Bank operates Guarana₿, a self-serve Bitcoin-backed credit application that lets users borrow USDT stablecoins against BTC collateral via 2-of-3 multisig institutional custody, targeting individual Bitcoin holders seeking liquidity without selling.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Crypto-Collateralized Lending

NAICS

Sales Financing (52222)

SIC

Finance Services (6199), Personal Credit Institutions (6141)

akta.pro primary industry

Crypto-Backed Consumer Loans (Secured) (FSADAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

On-Chain Payments & Stablecoin Infrastructure (Issuance, Rails, Treasury) (FSAGAMAD), Digital Asset Custody & Wallet Infrastructure for Institutions (MPC/HSM, key mgmt, policy controls) (FSAPAIAE)

Keywords

• Bitcoin-backed lending
• Crypto collateralized loans
• USDT stablecoin loans
• Bitcoin custody services
• Digital asset credit

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Origination Fees: 1.5% upfront fee charged on loan amount at origination, deducted from loan proceeds. One-time fee per loan transaction.
2. Interest Income: 12.7% APR charged on loan principal, accruing daily. Interest collected upon loan repayment (early or at maturity). Fixed APR model with no prepayment penalties.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Guarana₿ is a Bitcoin-backed credit application that lets users lock Bitcoin into regulated, segregated 2-of-3 multisig institutional custody and borrow USDT against that collateral. Loans are capped at 50% LTV and $250,000, priced at a 12.7% APR with a 1.5% origination fee, and offered for terms of 30, 60, 90, 180, or 365 days. No credit checks or rehypothecation are involved, and margins are managed automatically via 70%/80% LTV triggers.

Product overview

Guaraná Bank operates as a single unified product — Guarana₿ — a Bitcoin-backed credit application. Users deposit Bitcoin as collateral into a 2-of-3 multisig vault and receive USDT loans. The platform includes a loan calculator, KYC verification system, and loan management dashboard. No additional modules or separate products are offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Guarana₿ Bitcoin-Backed Credit App Self-serve web application that lets individual Bitcoin holders lock BTC into regulated, segregated 2-of-3 multisig institutional custody and borrow USDT against that collateral, at a 50% max LTV, 12.7% APR, $250K max loan, 1.5% origination fee, and 30–365 day terms, with no credit checks and no rehypothecation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% Max LTV - users can borrow half the value of their Bitcoin collateral
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Unchained Capital: Bitcoin-native financial services firm offering BTC-collateralized loans with multisig custody and no rehypothecation. Closest philosophical and architectural peer, with deeper US presence and established multisig-custody brand.
• Ledn: Toronto-based Bitcoin-focused lender offering BTC-collateralized loans in stablecoins. Directly comparable product, target customer (Bitcoin holders seeking liquidity), and collateral framework, with longer operating history and larger loan book.
• SALT Lending: Crypto-collateralized lending platform offering loans against Bitcoin and other digital assets. Operates in a similar collateralized-loan niche, though with broader collateral mix and different custody model.
• YouHodler: Swiss-based crypto lending and fintech platform offering BTC-backed loans with stablecoin payouts and flexible terms. Comparable product structure, larger loan book, and established multi-jurisdictional presence.
• CoinLoan: Crypto-backed lending platform offering loans against Bitcoin collateral with fiat or stablecoin disbursement. Similar product mechanics, regulated EU entity, and broader asset support than Guaraná.
• Nexo: Major crypto-backed lending platform offering loans against BTC and other collateral, with global reach and custodial wallet infrastructure. Operates at significantly larger scale across multiple jurisdictions and collateral types.

Emerging players

• Aave: Leading DeFi lending protocol supporting BTC-wrapped collateral (e.g., wBTC) with overcollateralized borrowing of stablecoins. Comparable lending mechanism but fully decentralized, no KYC, and no fiat on-ramp — competes for the same end-user.
• MakerDAO: Decentralized protocol enabling DAI generation against crypto collateral including BTC-via-vaults. Overlaps with Guaraná's BTC-backed-stablecoin credit model but operates on-chain without custody or KYC.

Broad incumbents

• Bitfinex: Major crypto exchange offering margin lending and collateralized borrowing against Bitcoin holdings. Provides similar liquidity-without-selling function for traders but bundles it with full exchange services.
• BitPay: Established Bitcoin payments and financial services company serving both consumers and merchants. Adjacent rather than directly competing, but operates in the same Bitcoin-native financial-services space with institutional credibility.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/guarana-bank

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Guaraná Bank