Key Takeaways
- Despite 83% of Brazilian crypto users holding USDT and 43.5% expressing full trust in it, only 37% have used crypto in real-world settings.
- The desire to use crypto is high but infrastructure issues, like high fees and low merchant adoption, are preventing widespread usage.
- Countries like Turkey, Nigeria, Indonesia, and Argentina are seeing similar challenges.
Brazil’s overwhelming embrace of the crypto industry has garnered international recognition, with the majority of its citizens holding more crypto than traditional stocks.
However, a new survey from Oobit reveals that while stablecoins like USDT dominate the market in Brazil, a surprising number of holders are unable to use them.
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Brazil Believes in USDT
According to Oobit’s July 2025 survey of Brazilian crypto users aged 23–45, an overwhelming 91.8% hold stablecoins, with Tether-issued USDT used by 83%.
This confidence runs deeper: 43.5% of respondents place full trust in Tether’s stablecoin, reflecting a strong connection to the digital asset.
“Brazilian users are among the most advanced crypto participants globally,” Amram Adar, Co-Founder and CEO of Oobit said.
“They trust USDT. They’re holding stablecoins. They’re staking, trading, investing, and they’re eager to use crypto in the real world,” he added.
However, despite this enthusiasm in Brazil, only 54.3% have ever made a crypto payment, and a mere 37% have used USDT in a real-world context, whether online or in-store.
This stands in stark contrast to the 85% who express a desire to use crypto for everyday purchases.
The problem, therefore, isn’t belief but infrastructure.
Infrastructure Friction
Despite overwhelming enthusiasm and trust in USDT and other stablecoins, Brazilian crypto users face significant infrastructure challenges that hinder everyday usage.
When asked to identify the biggest barriers to spending their assets, 41% of respondents cited high fees as the top issue.
In a country where consumers are already cost-conscious and familiar with efficient local payment systems, crypto fees can seem especially excessive.
Following closely, 39% pointed to the lack of merchants accepting crypto as a major limitation.
Other barriers included transaction slowness (17%), poor user experience (11%), and miscellaneous issues (7%).
While Brazilian users exhibit advanced and intentional financial behavior, the tools meant to integrate crypto into daily life remain underdeveloped.
Brazil Is Not Alone
Brazil is not an anomaly, Oobit suggests it’s a warning signal.
Similar patterns are emerging in Turkey, Nigeria, Indonesia, and Argentina.
All are digitally fluent and crypto-curious economies where trust in stablecoins is high, yet spending remains limited.
“If stablecoins can’t work in Brazil, they’ll struggle everywhere until the rails catch up,” Oobit wrote in its report.
“The infrastructure just needs to meet them halfway,” it added.
However, some countries have already made forward-thinking moves to bridge the gap seen in Brazil.
Crypto-Forward Countries
El Salvador and Malta are rare examples of national policy and merchant adoption actively supporting real-world crypto use.
Even so, their experiences highlight the challenges of implementation.
El Salvador made global headlines in 2021 as the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender.
With the introduction of the Chivo wallet, the government aimed to bring Bitcoin into everyday use, enabling citizens and tourists to pay with Bitcoin at stores, restaurants, and for transportation services nationwide.
The country positioned itself as a crypto testbed.
However, the bold initiative drew scrutiny from global institutions, particularly the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which raised concerns about financial stability.
In response, El Salvador scaled back some aspects of its Bitcoin program last year. This included reducing official support for the Chivo wallet and removing the legal requirement for all merchants to accept Bitcoin.
Although Bitcoin remains legal tender, its use is now voluntary.
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Kurt Robson is a London-based reporter at CCN, specialising in the fast-moving worlds of crypto and emerging technology. He began his career covering local news in Cornwall after graduating from Falmouth University with First Class Honours in Journalism. There, he cut his teeth on everything from council meetings to missing swans.
He quickly rose through the ranks to become a frontline journalist at several of the UK’s leading national newspapers. Over the years, he has interviewed musicians and celebrities, reported from courtrooms and crime scenes, and secured multiple front-page exclusives.
Following the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kurt shifted his focus to technology journalism—just ahead of the AI boom. With a natural curiosity and a trained eye for emerging trends, he has found a new rhythm in reporting on innovation.
At CCN, Kurt's work focuses on the cutting edge of crypto, blockchain, AI, and the evolving digital world. Drawing on his background in people-first reporting and his deep interest in disruptive tech, Kurt delivers stories that are insightful, entertaining, and human-centric.
