Bolivia considers integrating USDT into national payment system

Bolivia takes a notable step towards the adoption of stablecoins. Minister of Economy José Gabriel Espinoza indicates that the government is technically investigating whether USDT can be included in the national payment system, so that the stablecoin can formally circulate alongside the US dollar and the boliviano. With this, the South American country joins a broader international trend in which stablecoins are increasingly used as an alternative means of payment.

USDT currently stands at $1.00.

Currency scarcity drives USDT adoption

The interest from the Bolivian government does not come out of nowhere. The country has been struggling for some time with a structural shortage of foreign currency, which puts the population and business sector in difficulty. In that context, USDT is gaining ground as a practical alternative. Two Bolivian banks, Banco Unión and Banco FIE, already offer related services, demonstrating that the demand already exists in practice.

Espinoza states that the idea is to let USDT function as “one more currency” in the Bolivian economy. According to him, however, the measure is still subject to technical analysis, and no final decision has been made yet. Elsewhere in the world, similar initiatives are already visible, such as at Japanese supermarket chain Lawson testing stablecoin payments in stores.

FATF grey list as a complicating factor

A serious challenge for the plan is Bolivia’s position on the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The minister acknowledges that this is a factor to be taken into account in the further evaluation of the measure. A formal integration of USDT into the payment system could increase international attention and trigger additional scrutiny, especially now that countries such as Thailand investigates large USDT transactions for money laundering.

The discussion in Bolivia takes place at a time when the broader stablecoin market has already lost significant value since May 2026. Yet the use of USDT continues to grow unabated in countries with currency problems. Whether Bolivia ultimately introduces an official framework depends in part on the outcome of the technical evaluation and on how the country handles its FATF status. More on this is reported by CriptoNoticias.