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Brazil’s 2TM Group Expands Into the EU With the Acquisition of CriptoLoja, Portugal’s First Licensed Crypto Exchange
Brazil’s 2TM Group, the owner of MercadoBitcoin.com, Latin America’s largest crypto exchange, today announced the acquisition of a controlling stake in CriptoLoja, the first licensed Lisbon-based crypto exchange. In June 2021, CriptoLoja received Portugal’s first official license as a “virtual asset service provider” from Banco de Portugal, the nation’s central bank, which still needs to approve this acquisition.
“Crypto is a global business. Our Series A & B funding rounds gave us the momentum we needed to expand our international footprint. In addition to an enhanced financial opportunity, the investment provides us with outstanding technology required to compete globally,” said Roberto Dagnoni, CEO of 2TM group. “Portugal is a strategic market for us because it requires a specific license, is becoming an important hub for crypto in Europe and opens a gateway into the larger European market.”
The Brazilian holding company will start its expansion into Europe with an over-the-counter (OTC) operation. As a second phase, it intends to take the entire MercadoBitcoin.com platform to retail and institutional investors. “We will access the European market using the clear synergies with our presence in Latin America, as we share the same language, a recognized brand, and cross-sell opportunities for customers. There are many Brazilians living in Portugal who would love to invest through our platform,” said Dagnoni.
2TM views the EU-regulated environment as a highly beneficial operating space. “It is a path that we are looking for in Brazil, and we see it as the necessary one for the institutionalization of the market. Being in Portugal is an important competitive advantage for large B2B customers and OTC operations,” explained Dagnoni. This acquisition establishes 2TM’s presence in an emerging fintech and blockchain ecosystem in Europe, as Portugal is considered one of the continent’s most crypto-friendly countries.
CriptoLoja’s founders, Luís Gomes and Pedro Borges, will remain co-heads of the business while also leading 2TM’s expansion on the continent. “There is no doubt that being part of a company backed by SoftBank, as well as funds such as Tribe and 10T, contributes to building our reputation in Portugal. In addition, there is 2TM’s expertise in building a strong exchange, the largest in digital assets in Latin America, and in spearheading the transformation of the sector in the region. We aim to do the same with Portugal and Europe,” said Luis Gomes.
Pedro Borges explains that the crypto ecosystem is flourishing in Portugal. “Cryptocurrencies are still an emerging topic in the country. All the virtual assets such as Bitcoin, Ether, etc., are generating a revolution and considerable demand.” He says the platform also intends to be the place for individuals or companies to go when thinking about investing, trading, exchanging or hedging crypto assets.
*The completion of the acquisition is pending Banco de Portugal approval.
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Galaxy Launches GalaxyOne, Bringing Institutional-Quality Financial Offerings to Individual Investors
Galaxy Digital Inc. (NASDAQ: GLXY) (TSX: GLXY) today launched GalaxyOne, a financial technology platform offering U.S.-based individual investors to access high yields on fiat cash, alongside crypto and equities trading in a single digital experience. Accredited investors1 can access 8.00% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) through Galaxy Premium Yield2, while all investors can earn 4.00% APY3 on cash deposits and the ability to auto-reinvest earned interest into bitcoin or other supported crypto – all backed by Galaxy's financial expertise, rigorous risk management, and white-glove client service.
"We've spent years building institutional-quality infrastructure to serve the world's most sophisticated investors. Now, we're extending that edge to individuals," said Mike Novogratz, Founder and CEO of Galaxy. "Importantly, GalaxyOne advances our mission of becoming a full-spectrum financial services provider that builds trusted, regulated, and accessible products for all market segments."
GalaxyOne, which is available on mobile (iOS and Android) and online in the U.S., launches with four core products:
- Galaxy Premium Yield 2: Earn 8.00% APY through an investment note issued by Galaxy Digital LP, a subsidiary of Galaxy Digital Inc. and available exclusively to U.S. accredited investors on GalaxyOne. Yield is generated by Galaxy's institutional lending business, active since 2018. Each investment requires a $25,000 minimum and is capped at $1 million per investor with an initial $250 million total investment cap. Interest accrues daily and is paid monthly into the GalaxyOne Cash account.
- GalaxyOne Cash 3: Earn 4.00% APY in a high-yield cash deposit account FDIC insured up to $250,000. Banking services are provided by Cross River Bank, member FDIC.
- GalaxyOne Crypto: Buy, trade, hold and transfer major blue-chip digital assets, including bitcoin (BTC), ethereum (ETH), and solana (SOL). Transparent pricing, recurring purchases and real-time execution are available on the platform.
- GalaxyOne Brokerage: Access commission-free trading of more than 2,000 U.S stocks and ETFs in individual brokerage accounts. Retirement accounts (traditional and Roth IRAs) are also available. Fractional share trading is available with a $10 minimum per trade. Clients have the option to earn passive income by lending their eligible stocks through the GalaxyOne Stock Lending program4.
GalaxyOne was originally developed under the name Fierce, which Galaxy acquired in 2024. The platform is led by Zac Prince, Managing Director at Galaxy, alongside the original development team. Fierce's former CEO, Rob Cornish, will continue to support the platform's operations as Chief Technology Officer of Galaxy. GalaxyOne sits alongside GalaxyOne Institutional as part of a unified suite of products, each tailored to client needs, but both built to Galaxy's institutional standards of security, scale, and risk management.
"As technology reshapes how people invest, expectations are clear: more yield, easier access from a single platform, and opportunities that extend beyond traditional boundaries," said Mr. Prince. "GalaxyOne delivers exactly that: a unified opportunity to earn yield on cash, trade crypto, and access U.S. equities, all supported by Galaxy's financial discipline, institutional oversight, and professional team trusted by some of the world's most sophisticated institutions. We have an exciting roadmap ahead and are excited to deliver a differentiated financial experience to our clients. This is just the beginning."
To sign up and learn more about GalaxyOne, please visit: https://one.galaxy.app/sign-up
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Milo’s Crypto Mortgage Has Helped Clients Increase Wealth By Over $100 Million
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TerraPay Becomes One of the First Global Payment Leaders To Adopt Stablecoin-Native Flows, Powered by Fipto
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The crypto industry is facing a fresh reckoning over security following a series of high-profile breaches. Some of the largest breaches included hackers stealing $1.5bn from Bybit, Phemex losing out on $69m in a crypto heist, and WazirX losing £230m. Despite the rapid mainstreaming of digital assets, vulnerabilities in exchange infrastructure continue to leave billions of pounds at risk.
dtcpay Partners with WalletConnect to Advance Onchain Payments and Stablecoin Adoption
dtcpay, a licensed Major Payment Institution (MPI), today announced a strategic partnership with WalletConnect , the connectivity layer for the financial internet. The collaboration will accelerate the adoption of secure, frictionless onchain payments and reinforce dtcpay’s role in shaping the next generation of onchain finance.
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Two Thirds of Millennial Travellers Say Flexible Payments Are Their Deciding Factor When Choosing Airlines
New research commissioned by Affirm, the payment network that empowers consumers and merchants with flexible and transparent payment options, reveals that payment flexibility is now one of the most important factors influencing travellers when booking flights and holidays.
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More Rewards, More Flexibility: PayPal Introduces 5% Cash Back on Buy Now Pay Later Purchases this Holiday Season
PayPal has announced that U.S. customers will earn 5% cash back on PayPal Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) purchases between now and the end of the year1. As 60%2 of shoppers feel more financial stress heading into this holiday season, PayPal, one of the leading BNPL providers worldwide, is helping to make it easier to manage spending this holiday season.