Argentine president Javier Milei Promoted the $ libra cryptocurrency this year from its personal account on the X social media platform as part of a private project aimed at “finance small Argentinian and businesses”.
Although he then removed his initial position, thousands of investors supported the digital asset, causing an exponential increase in his price in a few minutes. However, a few hours later, $ Libra suffered a net accident, causing significant losses for users. The case has become an institutional scandal with judicial connotations, drew international attention and revived discussions on a potential “pyramidal regime”.
Nevertheless, the Argentinian cryptography ecosystem considers the incident of $ balances as an isolated event and continues to move forward with its projects, including a safe for cold storage of digital assets and the first native Bitcoin scholarship in the world.
A childcare bunker for cryptographic assets
The term “bunker” is generally associated with a secret location, perhaps in a basement, accessible only after crossing several safety doors and locks.
In Argentina, Prosegur cryptoThe institutional service of digital assets of Prosegur Cash, inaugurated the second Bunker of Crypto Cold Storage Crypto in Latin America. The first in the region was created in Brazil in 2023.
Far from the usual mental image of a bunker, the Vault Prosegur contains an object resembling a case, but its content – the private blockchain keys of digital active ingredients – is protected by several layers of physical and virtual security.
2025 had to be a key year for cryptocurrencies, mainly due to the American president Donald TrumpThe desire to create a favorable regulatory environment for the market. He openly declared his desire for the United States to become the “world capital of cryptography” and announced its intention to establish a “strategic bitcoin reserve”, similar to the existing gold and oil reserves of the country.
Chronic macroeconomic instability of Argentina, three -digit inflation rates in the past two years, and in particular its capital checks, have positioned cryptocurrencies – in particular stablescoins – as a viable, secure and accessible option for the country’s population.
Argentina has exceeded Brazil in total value of the cryptocurrencies received – estimated at $ 91 billion – between July 2023 and June 2024, according to a report Chain-analysis. During the same period, more than 60% of Argentinian cryptographic transactions involved stablecoins. The country ranks 15th worldwide in the adoption of cryptocurrencies on the blockchain data platform quoted.
Expectations are high in the local crypto ecosystem, given the ideological similarities between Asset And Milei And the apparent relationship between the two leaders.
In Argentina, there is a growing feeling that the restrictions imposed by the Central Bank – the banks and fintechs that have been the subject of digital offers to customers – can soon be lifted. Under the surface, everyone seems to prepare for this major change.
Ready for the moment
“As part of the evolution of traditional prosegur activities, we consider this bunker as a form of inverse innovation: transferring digital assets in physical form to ensure secure custody to our customers,” explains Boule de HernánRegional innovation manager at Prosegur Cash.
The safe is located in one of the company’s installations, kept by several safety layers. Inside the bunker is the solution that Prosegur offers for banks, fintechs, exchanges, funds, family offices and investment managers: a secure PC, developed in collaboration with an Israeli cybersecurity company GK8which stores the private keys to offline digital assets, guaranteeing 100% protection against cyber attacks and hacks.
In addition to operational security protocols, the company also offers institutional customers an insurance policy which covers 100% of the amount kept.
Currently, banks and fintechs in Argentina are always linked to the crypto offer to their customers. Nevertheless, Ball Note that before the launch of the Vault Crypto, they met the Central Bank, which assured them that the regulations would be lifted this year. Consequently, the company is fully prepared for regulatory change.
Ball also confirms regular meetings with the central bank and the CNV (National Securities Commission), and that Prosegur also engages with financial institutions to offer its solution.
Awaiting a transformational change
“Argentina is not only one of the countries with the greatest adoption of cryptography, but also has several relevant projects. The high technical level of local developers and their mastery of English have helped to create an ecosystem that is initially motivated by NGOs and later by various cryptographic community projects, ”explains Rodolfo AndragnesPresident of the NGO Bitcoin Argentina, co-founder of Alianza Blockchain Iberoaamérica, and organizer of LobitconfThe main Bitcoin & Blockchain conference in Latin America.
If the regulatory framework changes, “this could stimulate the adoption of certain assets, including bitcoin. It would also be interesting to see Bitcoin appear in bank investment wallets, ”he adds.
Iñaki Apezteguiaeducator, crypto communicator and co-founder of CrossingStresses that “with high inflation rates in recent years, cryptographic dollars are a very natural option for Argentines, who are used to thinking in terms of dollars.”
Beyond that, the country has important developments: Argentina is one of the few countries with a cryptographic preloaded debit card, allowing users to spend crypto while traders receive the legal payment (Argentinian pesos). It is also a country where the extraction of cryptography is flourishing.
Apézteguia Comparison with the United States, where banks are now allowed to keep crypto. “If the central bank raises restriction and banks can offer crypto, this would open a window to further accelerate adoption in the country. There are people who are bitcoin simply because their bank does not offer it. This could be a transformational change, ”he says.
Brazil has better institutional conditions than Argentina for the adoption of digital currency, such as the possibility of buying FNB linked to crypto; In Argentina, access is through ADR (American deposit receipts) from the Stock Exchange Fund. In addition, the neighboring country has already managed DrexThe digital version of the Brazilian reality created by the Central Bank of Brazil.
However, “as a specific tax regulation and treatment in Argentina are beginning to take shape, Crossing Begins to explore its first corporate customers, while companies are starting to consider the cryptography market as a valid alternative for the appreciation of capital, “he said with enthusiasm.
Borja Martel Sewarda well -known figure in the Argentinian cryptographic community and founder of RoxomThe first native Bitcoin scholarship in the world goes further: “In retail and institutional segment, I see the crypto in pure growth. Donald Trump is the first Bitcoin president in the United States, and expectations are very optimistic. This is an unprecedented situation, we therefore expect Bitcoin to reach new heights of all time this year. »»
“In Argentina, the adoption of the crypto came naturally. We want Argentina to be a hub of the AI; In my opinion, the country is already a cryptographic center, and institutional investment will increase, ”he will conclude.
In mid-2014, Seward And Nick Damico—CTO CTO of BitpatagoniaOne of the largest Bitcoin operating companies in Argentina – announced the launch of RoxomThe first native Bitcoin scholarship in the world, guaranteeing an investment of $ 4.3 million in a pre-Grève financing tour led by Draper AssociatesThe venture capital fund of Tim Draper.
This article was initially published in issue 42 of Funds Society Americas review. To access the full content, click here.
