Félix and dLocal launch stablecoin-funded remittances across latin America
dLocal (NASDAQ: DLO), the leading payment platform connecting global merchants to emerging markets, and Félix, a U.S. chat-based service that lets people send remittances through WhatsApp, announced a partnership to power instant remittance payouts in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, with stablecoin funding.
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Félix funds transfers in USD Coin (USDC), and dLocal delivers the money in local currency to recipients’ bank accounts. In testing, transfers arrived in minutes instead of the next day, with delivery typically under two minutes and a success rate near 99 percent. The approach reduces exposure to legacy correspondent bottlenecks and gives operators a more predictable window in high-volume corridors.
Remittances remain essential across Latin America. The World Bank reports an average global cost of 6.4 percent to send $200, while countries such as Honduras rely on remittances for roughly 27 percent of GDP. Mexico received a record $64.745 billion in remittances in 2024. The partnership aims to achieve faster delivery and lower total costs for transferring funds to migrant workers and their families.
“This collaboration addresses one of the biggest pain points in the remittance industry—the need for more cost-efficient and faster payments in emerging markets,” said Martin Sapiurka, Head of Remittances at dLocal. “By working with Félix, we’re empowering them to offer real-time, seamless payments powered by stablecoins, transforming the overall payment experience and strengthening the infrastructure behind it.”
“Speed and predictability change the user experience in emerging-market corridors; that’s why sending money should feel as simple as sending a message,” said Claudia Garavini, VP of Strategy and Business Development at Félix. “USDC lets us fund transfers instantly, and through our partnership with dLocal, recipients get local funds in minutes, expanding faster, more transparent cross-border payments across Latin America.”
Senders start and complete the transfer inside WhatsApp, setting the amount and recipient in a chat flow they already use every day. Félixfunds the transfer in USD Coin (USDC), then dLocal converts those funds to local currency and pays them out to bank accounts in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.
The flow includes Know-Your-Customer and anti-money laundering controls, and dLocal operates under applicable regulations in each market while supporting the required cross-border reporting. Recipients receive local-currency delivery and status updates that track progress from start to finish.
The partnership is live for U.S.-to-Mexico, U.S.-to-Guatemala, and U.S.-to-Honduras remittances with direct-to-bank payouts available today.