Yazılar

Brazilian Fintech Meliuz Adopts Bitcoin Reserve Strategy, Shares Surge

/in /tarafından

Meliuz, a Brazilian fintech company, has adopted a bold new strategy allowing it to allocate part of its cash reserves into bitcoin, potentially making the cryptocurrency the main asset of its treasury in the future. This announcement has had an immediate impact on the company’s São Paulo-traded shares, which surged more than 25% on Thursday.

In a securities filing, Meliuz revealed that it aims to capture long-term returns from its bitcoin investments, drawing inspiration from prominent firms like U.S.-based MicroStrategy and Japan’s Metaplanet, both of which have significant bitcoin holdings. The company has committed to allocating up to 10% of its cash reserves into bitcoin, having already purchased 45.72 bitcoins for around $4.1 million.

Founded in 2011, Meliuz initially started as a cashback service for online purchases, later expanding into physical retail, app usage, and offering free digital accounts and credit cards. Although the company went public in late 2020, its stock had faced difficulties, mainly due to Brazil’s high interest rates. Despite this, Meliuz currently has over 240 million reais ($41.72 million) in net cash.

Chairman Israel Salmen explained that while allocating capital to fixed-income investments might seem prudent, Meliuz believes this strategy represents a significant opportunity cost. He emphasized that the bitcoin reserve strategy would not only strengthen the company’s financial position but also help it lead in a global financial transformation already underway.

Meliuz will further analyze the potential of adopting bitcoin as its main strategic asset. UBS BB analysts noted that while the approach is new for Brazilian companies, it aligns with a growing global trend seeking alternative stores of value. They added that, if successful, Meliuz’s strategy could attract crypto-focused investors, though it may also bring increased volatility to the company’s results.

Brazil Denies Report of Tax on US Tech Firms Amid Trump Steel Tariffs

/in /tarafından

Brazil’s Finance Minister, Fernando Haddad, denied reports on Monday suggesting that the country was considering imposing taxes on U.S. tech companies in response to President Donald Trump’s proposed 25% tariff on all U.S. steel imports.

The speculation arose after a report from the Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, which claimed that the administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was contemplating levying tariffs on major tech firms as a retaliatory measure.

Haddad quickly refuted the claims on social media, emphasizing that the information was inaccurate. He reiterated that the Brazilian government would only make official statements based on concrete decisions, not speculative announcements that could be misinterpreted or later changed.

The report had suggested that tech giants such as Amazon (AMZN.O), Meta Platforms (META.O), and Alphabet (GOOGL.O) could be targeted by such a tax. However, Haddad’s remarks clarified that no such plans were under consideration at this time.

Brazil, a significant supplier of U.S. steel imports, also serves as a key market for many large tech companies, which would have been affected by such a tax. The denial comes as Trump is set to introduce additional tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, escalating his trade policy strategy.

Data Center Companies Investing in Brazil’s Booming Market

/in /tarafından

Brazil is rapidly becoming a critical hub for data center investments, with billions of dollars expected to be injected into the sector in the coming years. This surge is largely driven by the booming demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and the growth constraints faced by larger markets in the U.S. and Europe. Several key companies are capitalizing on Brazil’s potential for data center expansion:

Ascenty
Ascenty, one of the largest data center operators in Latin America, is actively seeking a minority partner to support its expansion, particularly in Brazil. Currently, Ascenty operates 34 data centers across the region, with many more under construction. The company is jointly controlled by Brookfield Asset Management and U.S.-based Digital Realty.

Grupo FS
Grupo FS, a Brazilian cybersecurity firm, is making a significant move into the data center market with plans to invest $1.8 billion (approximately $300 million) to build three data centers in Brazil. Owner Alberto Leite cites Brazil’s political stability, abundant renewable energy resources, and growing local demand as key drivers behind this investment.

Equinix
Global digital infrastructure giant Equinix is expanding its footprint in Brazil, with new projects planned in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Eduardo Carvalho, Equinix’s managing director for Latin America, emphasized that the Brazilian market is critical for the company’s long-term strategy.

ODATA
ODATA, now owned by Aligned Data Centers, is experiencing steady growth due to increasing demand in Brazil. The company is particularly focusing on investments in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. ODATA also has operations in Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and the U.S. following its acquisition by Aligned.

Tecto
Tecto, the data center unit of V.tal (controlled by BTG, a Brazilian investment bank), recently acquired new land in São Paulo for the development of a 200MW hyperscale data center powered entirely by renewable energy. Tecto has committed an initial $1 billion for new projects and is expanding its presence across Brazil and Colombia.

Elea
Elea Data Centers operates across all major Brazilian cities, including the Rio-São Paulo axis, and is focused on sustainability, running its data centers entirely on renewable energy. The company has expanded its footprint to include the Southeast, South, and Central West regions of Brazil.

These investments highlight Brazil’s growing importance as a data center hub, driven by favorable energy conditions, political stability, and a booming demand for cloud services, AI, and data storage.