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Ripio
Ripio, founded by Sebastian Serrano, serves over 10 million crypto users across Latin America as a licensed brokerage and asset manager.
Ripio
Ripio launched in 2014 as BitPagos, an Argentine crypto startup founded by Sebastian Serrano, focused initially on bitcoin payments for e-commerce. By 2016, the company pivoted to brokerage services and rebranded to Ripio, seizing on accelerating retail adoption across inflation-racked Argentina and unbanked populations throughout Latin America. The firm has raised over $50 million in venture capital across multiple rounds, with backers including Digital Currency Group, Pantera Capital, and Amplo (per Crunchbase, 2022). Ripio is not a family office, but its evolution into an asset manager with an OTC desk, institutional custody, and a yield-earning product demonstrates a regional fintech scaling beyond a simple exchange. Ripio operates a multi-product platform serving both retail and institutional clients. The retail offering spans spot trading, a digital wallet, and 'Ripio Earn,' a lending product that generates yield on crypto deposits by deploying capital across DeFi protocols and institutional lending markets. The institutional arm, Ripio Select, provides OTC trading, algorithmic execution, and custody for corporate treasuries, family offices, and funds seeking Latin American fiat on- and off-ramps. The firm's deep integration with local payment rails in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico allows it to act as a critical bridge between regional currencies like the Argentine peso and digital assets. The company also launched a tokenized credit product in Brazil and operates a Web3 wallet, broadening its reach into decentralized finance. Ripio reports a user base exceeding 10 million, with a licensed footprint covering Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Uruguay, and Spain. Headcount exceeds 400 employees across its offices. In March 2024, Ripio integrated with Brazil's Pix instant payment system, allowing real-time fiat-to-crypto transactions for its Brazilian users (per the firm, 2024). The firm also launched a Visa-backed crypto card in Brazil in 2023, extending its utility into everyday spending. Ripio's structural differentiator is its full-stack licensing and payments infrastructure across fragmented Latin American markets, allowing it to operate as a regulated broker in jurisdictions where international exchanges have struggled. While global competitors rely on third-party processors, Ripio holds its own proprietary connections to local banking systems, giving it a durable moat in a region with chronic capital controls and currency instability.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
2014
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
Latin America
Country
Argentina
City
Buenos Aires
Corporate office
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Additional offices
Sao Paulo, Brazil · Mexico City, Mexico · Miami, FL, United States · Madrid, Spain
Principals
Sebastian Serrano
CEO & Co-Founder
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment strategy and treasury operations at Ripio?
CEO Sebastian Serrano leads the executive team and guides product strategy. The firm's institutional desk, Ripio Select, and its yield-generating products are managed internally by dedicated treasury and trading teams. The board includes representatives from major venture backers like Digital Currency Group and Pantera Capital, which provides institutional governance input.
How does Ripio generate yield for its Earn product?
Ripio Earn generates yield by lending deposited crypto assets across a curated set of DeFi protocols and institutional over-collateralized lending desks. The firm performs risk assessment on counterparties and protocols before allocating. Returns vary by asset and market conditions, and Ripio discloses that yield is not guaranteed, with capital exposed to smart-contract and market risks.
Is Ripio a regulated entity in the countries where it operates?
Yes, Ripio holds licenses and registrations across its core markets. In Argentina, it is registered with the CNV as a virtual asset service provider. In Brazil, it operates under the country's payments and fintech licensing framework as a payment institution. It also holds a license in Spain through the Bank of Spain's virtual currency registry.
What is Ripio Select and who does it serve?
Ripio Select is the firm's institutional arm, providing OTC block trading, algorithmic execution, and segregated custody services. It targets family offices, corporate treasuries, fintechs, and funds that need deep liquidity in Latin American fiat-to-crypto pairs. The desk offers personalized settlement and credit lines for high-volume counterparties.
Does Ripio operate a venture arm or make direct equity investments?
Ripio does not disclose a formal venture capital arm in the style of a dedicated fund. Its focus remains on building products and infrastructure within its own platform. The firm's primary capital deployment is into licensing, expansion, and its lending book, rather than external startup investments.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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