In Brazil, cryptocurrency adoption is not being led by traders betting big on volatile tokens. It is being shaped by younger, more cautious investors, who often use stablecoins and tokenized bonds as a way to protect their wealth.
According to new data from local cryptocurrency exchange Mercado Bitcoin, shared with CoinDesk via a report titled “Raio-X do Investidor em Ativos Digitais,” the fastest-growing cohort of the investor base this year was under 24 years old.
Participation among that age group increased 56% from the previous year, with many opting for low-volatility assets, such as stablecoins and digital fixed income products, as an entry point, according to the report.
These products, offered on the platform as Renda Fixa Digital (RFD), which directly translates to “digital fixed income,” allow investors to purchase tokenized portions of real-world income-generating assets. Its name is part of Mercado Bitcoin’s “invisible blockchain” approach.
In 2025 alone, RFD volume more than doubled and Mercado Bitcoin distributed 1.8 billion reais (approximately $325 million) to users. On average, these products generated 132% of Brazil’s “risk-free” reference rate, the Interbancário Deposit Certificate (CDI).
Other protocols in Brazil also offer similar blockchain-based products. Real-world asset (RWA) platforms offering fixed income products in the country include Liqi and AmFi.
The exchange also reported a 43% year-over-year increase in overall crypto trading volume, with Mondays emerging as the busiest day for both new investors and trading activity.
That pattern suggests a shift in the way cryptocurrencies are used: from a speculative vehicle to a more integral part of a weekly financial routine.
Invest based on income
Investors’ strategy differed markedly by income level.
Middle-income users were more likely to allocate funds to stablecoins, up to 12% of their portfolios, while holding 86% in less volatile assets, presumably tokenized bonds.
“Major developments, such as the regulation of cryptocurrencies by the Central Bank and the rise of stablecoins, have further boosted Brazilian interest in digital assets,” Fabrício Tota, vice president of Crypto Business at Mercado Bitcoin, said in the report.
Brazil’s central bank introduced new cryptocurrency rules last month, requiring crypto service providers to obtain licenses and setting specific capital requirements.
Low-income investors placed more than 90% of their funds in traditional cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, likely seeking higher returns and accepting the additional risk, according to the report.
