New movements by the cybercriminal group “FamousSparrow,” an APT (prolonged and stealthy cyberattack) where an intruder gains access to a network and remains hidden for a period of time to steal data or spy, have been revealed, reported ESET, a leading company in proactive threat detection. This time, ESET discovered that the group has deployed a new backdoor — hidden code in a program or system that allows unauthorized access and bypasses security — targeting several Latin American countries, at least since August 2025.

“We believe this geographic focus is not accidental and likely reflects China’s response to various recent US initiatives in the region. In fact, Donald Trump’s second presidential term has seen an aggressive reassertion of US interests in Latin America, which puts several strategic investments that China has developed on the continent over the last decade in sectors such as energy, mining, and telecommunications at risk. We suspect that FamousSparrow’s activities aim to help China better monitor and anticipate the reactions of local governments to current US pressure,” commented the ESET research team.

FamousSparrow is a Chinese-linked cyberespionage group believed to have been active since at least 2019. Initially known for targeting hotels worldwide, it has also targeted governments, international organizations, trade associations, engineering firms, and law firms.

Currently, the group appears to be focusing on high-profile targets in Latin America. This trend reportedly began in July 2025 and has continued with the arrival of a new backdoor dubbed SparroWocky by ESET. In fact, between mid-2025 and 2026, 90% of the group’s targets recorded in ESET telemetry were located in the region.

Prolonged and stealthy cyberattack

ESET observed the deployment of the new backdoor against government entities in Argentina, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. This is an unusual case among the Chinese-linked APT groups that the research team had been monitoring, as their operations were typically spread across different regions of the world over extended periods.

While ESET states that it is still unclear whether the group’s apparent focus on Latin America is due to a formal geographic mandate or a temporary priority driven by current geopolitical circumstances, some cases seem to support the latter hypothesis. For example, one of the Panamanian entities identified by ESET as a target is directly involved in the trade dispute surrounding two major ports in the canal area, which until recently were operated by a Chinese-based company.

Given that the concession granted to that company was legally questioned by the Panamanian government at the beginning of 2025, ESET comments that it could be likely that the FamousSparrowgroup operation sought to obtain advance and privileged information about the intentions of local authorities regarding this matter.

Regarding the novelty of this discovery by ESET is the identification of SparroWocky, a new custom backdoor developed in C++, which incorporates more sophisticated evasion techniques to go unnoticed. This backdoor with extensive capabilities manipulates low-level structures in memory and modifies code at runtime to evade detection.

Additionally, it has the ability to load and run Beacon Object Files (BOF), a special type of executable file supported by numerous network teaming and penetration testing tools. The backdoor allows FamousSparrow to have the development capabilities necessary to integrate code from open source projects directly into its own custom backdoor.

ESET invites you to learn more about computer security and this finding by visiting: https://www.welivesecurity.com/es/investigaciones/famoussparrow-america-latina-sparrowocky/.

To obtain other useful preventive data, it is also available in Venezuela: https://www.eset.com/ve/, and its social networks @eset_ve. Also Instagram (@esetla) and Facebook (ESET).

With information and reference images provided by ESET and Comstat Rowland

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Bolivia continues its openness to digital assets as a support for its national currency, the boliviano. In this regard, the South American nation is considering including Tether’s USDT stablecoin in its payment system.

The adoption of digital assets and cryptocurrencies in Bolivia continues to rise. The government’s strategy is to bolster its economy by combining other assets with the local currency, the boliviano, and the legal tender US dollar.

Bolivia, national currency, boliviano, US dollar At a press conference last week, Economy Minister José Gabriel Espinoza stated that the proposal “remains under technical review and the government has not published implementation rules nor granted legal tender status to the stablecoin.”

In this regard, Bolivian authorities are “developing a framework for banks, digital wallets, and payment providers,” according to Espinoza. Any implementation would require stricter anti-money laundering controls, as Bolivia remains on the Financial Action Task Force’s gray list, which subjects the country to increased scrutiny due to deficiencies in its financial crimes regime.

Authorities cite the increased adoption of cryptocurrencies by businesses and consumers who “are seeking alternatives to the scarce US dollars in the country.”

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Source: coindesk

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La entrada Bolivia considers integrating Tether’s USDT into its national payment system apareció primero en Bitfinance.

On Monday, June 22, Argentine President Javier Milei authorized the Treasury to acquire $5 billion in new debt under partial guarantee schemes provided by multilateral organizations.

While the resolution does not specify the lenders involved, it does mention the “recent approvals from the World Bank, the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, and the Inter-American Development Bank, which provided guarantees totaling $2.55 billion to facilitate access to foreign currency.”

The Mieli administration considers the measure a “strategy to reduce its financing costs, deeming the collaboration with internationally recognized banking institutions as advantageous.”

The funds in question are urgently needed to meet debt payments in foreign currency due for the current and next fiscal years.

By tying international banks to public coffers, the government is compromising the country, “deepening an external dependency that limits social spending and public investment.”

Regarding the country’s internal situation, it is known that the first major payment is due on July 9, with the maturity of $4.35 billion in principal on Global and Bonar bonds. Of this total, $3.8 billion is owed to private creditors, so the economic team must ensure immediate liquidity to avoid a default scenario.

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La entrada Argentina secures $5 billion in new international loans apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Data published by the Latin American and Caribbean Energy Organization (OLACDE) shows that by 2025, the Latin America and Caribbean region will contribute approximately 11 % of the world’s oil supply and nearly 6 % of its natural gas supply.

The report “Panorama 2025: Oil and Natural Gas Production and Foreign Trade in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)” revealed that “oil production in the region increased by 20 %” last year. Regarding the hydrocarbon sector, the report noted a boost from Guyana’s growth and Brazil’s continued leadership.

According to the document, seven countries account for 87 % of oil production in Latin America: Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, Colombia, Guyana, and Ecuador, each with a share exceeding 5 % of the regional total.

The list is distributed as follows: Brazil as the main regional producer, “reaching 3.77 million barrels per day (bpd); followed by Mexico, which registers 1.67 million bpd; leaving Venezuela in third place, with 1.08 million bpd.

Guyana’s oil production stood at 900,000 bpd, Argentina’s at 878,800 bpd, Colombia’s at 746,000 bpd, while Ecuador’s remained at 439,717 barrels of oil.”

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The increased adoption of stablecoins in Argentina, as a hedge against inflation, positions the country as a benchmark in Latin America.

Macroeconomic factors such as low financial inclusion, exchange restrictions, and the gap in the dollar parity have driven the search for alternatives that provide security. This is where stablecoins come in, representing a valid, secure, and efficient solution.

According to various reports from the crypto ecosystem, the use of stablecoins in the region accelerated significantly over the past year. In particular, their adoption by Latin American companies doubled between the second half of 2024 and the first half of 2025, solidifying their position as key tools for international payments, treasury operations, and foreign exchange.

In connection with this information, the Criptonoticias portal refers to the April 6, 2026 report from the payment card provider DeCard, which details that Argentina leads the “Stablecoin Readiness Index” with a perfect score of 100/100.

Some of the uses of these digital assets in Argentina include their use as a store of value, to cope not only with inflation but also with the devaluation of the peso, the official currency.

Furthermore, the South American nation currently surpasses Brazil in per capita adoption, boasting the “highest level of monthly active users and penetration per capita in the region.”

In this regard, stablecoins are routinely accepted in more than 15,000 businesses, and the total transaction volume is estimated at 61.8 %.

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La entrada Argentina leads the region in stablecoin use apareció primero en Bitfinance.

The issue of wages is debated globally. The pursuit of workers’ social and economic well-being drives negotiations between unions, labor federations, and government representatives. Recent reports from Bloomberg Linea indicate that three countries in Latin America have the highest monthly minimum wages: Costa Rica, Uruguay, and Panama, where salaries are $751, $648, and $637, respectively.

They are followed by Colombia, where workers’ income this year is $548, including the transportation subsidy.

Comparisons with European countries can reveal profound differences that affect the population’s quality of life. According to data from Globalization Partners, Luxembourg currently has the highest base salary in the world, exceeding $3,100 per month.

“This figure, which sets an unprecedented standard, reflects the high cost of living in Europe and legal frameworks designed to protect the financial stability of the workforce,” they note.

Back in Latin America, the differences from country to country are also significant, due to indicators such as inflation and the macroeconomic instability of each nation.

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Source: eltiempo

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La entrada Three Latin American countries have the highest monthly minimum wages apareció primero en Bitfinance.

The projections of the Central Reserve Bank of Peru regarding the country’s annual inflation rate place the figure at 2.4 %. This was indicated last week by the president of the regulatory body, Julio Velarde, adding that the gross domestic product is estimated at 3.2 % for 2026.

According to the BCRP official, who made the statements during the presentation of the March Inflation Report, indicating that “it will register a temporary spike in prices due to fuel rationing and the international impact of the conflict in Iran on oil.”

Velarde anticipates a significant impact from the increase in gas and fuel prices, as well as food prices, “given the high weighting of the food basket in the Peruvian price index.”

The rise in international oil prices directly impacts transportation costs, in addition to “key inputs for food production, such as grains and chicken.”

In this context, the president of the Central Reserve Bank of Peru (BCRP) “highlighted that Peru maintains the lowest inflation in the region and that the projection for 2027 is 2 %, within the target range.”

Regarding GDP growth, Velarde specified that, although it will be lower than last year’s, it will be above the previous projection, which in December stood at 3 %.

In conclusion, “the BCRP estimates GDP growth of 3.2 % in 2026 and 2027, accompanied by a rebound in private investment of 9.5 % in 2026 and 5 % in 2027.”

Finally, the official addressed the public debt, estimating that it will reach 29.3 % of GDP, with an increase in current spending.

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Source: finanzasdigital

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La entrada Central Bank of Peru projects 2.4 % inflation in 2026 apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Digital assets can represent economic salvation for some and a path to ruin for others. Nevertheless, crypto adoption continues to increase in Latin America and Central America, while regulations are tightening in Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Recent reports indicate that some 270 cryptocurrency companies have applied to operate in El Salvador. This has been confirmed by Juan Carlos Reyes, president of the National Digital Assets Commission.

On the other hand, in Venezuela, which is undergoing political and economic change following the US intervention in January, a new boost in cryptocurrency mining is expected thanks to new OFAC licenses in the energy sector and Donald Trump’s decision to ease sanctions on the national electricity system.

Colombia, meanwhile, is finalizing the details of a cryptocurrency law, although without the participation of the industrial sector. At the same time, the banking sector is analyzing issues such as tokenization and digital assets.

Argentina is moving towards openness, with cryptocurrency adoption around 20 % and Jair Milei’s government authorizing traditional banks to offer digital asset services to their clients.

Stricter regulations and prevention of cryptocurrency crime

In Europe, Spain has tightened regulations. In this regard, the Spanish Tax Agency is now holding a public consultation on the new tax forms (042, 172, 175) for declaring cryptocurrencies, in order to comply with the regional regulation DAC8, from January of this year. The measure strengthens control over balances and transactions, as well as requiring platforms to automatically report them.

In Australia, on the other hand, crypto adoption is among the highest, at 23 % of the total. And although trading is entirely legal, in 2025 the Australian Senate passed the Companies Amendment Bill (Digital Asset Framework), which requires exchanges to hold a financial services license to protect users. Furthermore, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) levies taxes on capital gains.

Asia maintains a strong stance in favor of strict regulatory compliance in countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and even Russia. Throughout the region, anti-money laundering regulations are rigorous, and penalties for violating domestic laws are severe.

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With information from cryptocurrency media outlets

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La entrada Cryptocurrency market booms in Latin America and faces regulations in Europe apareció primero en Bitfinance.

The International Monetary Fund estimates that Argentina will be the fourth fastest-growing economy within the G20 in 2026, ranking behind India, Indonesia, and China.

According to the international organization’s projections regarding the global economy, its growth would reach 3.1 % in 2026.

The IMF forecasts GDP expansion in 2026 and notes that “India would once again become the fastest-growing economy, consolidating its position as one of the main drivers of global activity.” The Asian nation tops the ranking with a projected annual real GDP growth rate of 6.2 %.

Below India are Indonesia (4.9 %) and China (4.2 %), which are expected to remain among the main contributors to global growth.

Argentina, in Latin America, ranks fourth, with a projected economic growth rate of 4 %, in line with Saudi Arabia.

The IMF emphasizes that emerging economies associated with the G20, such as Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey (3.7 %), are projected to grow faster than the global average.

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Source: infobae

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La entrada IMF forecasts economic growth for Argentina within the G20 apareció primero en Bitfinance.

In its recent projections for 2026, the World Bank indicated that Bolivia could experience a 1.1 % contraction in its GDP.

According to the international institution, the nation could experience the steepest decline in Latin America, due in part to factors that have persisted over time, such as the dollar shortage and the decline in the hydrocarbons sector.

In its World Economic Outlook 2026 report, the World Bank also anticipates “a greater deterioration by 2027, when the Bolivian economy could contract by 1.5 percent.”

Regarding the outlook for Latin America and the Caribbean, the World Bank projects average growth of 2.3 % this year and 2.6 % in 2027, as trade flows normalize and domestic demand improves.

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Source: xinhuanet

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La entrada Bolivia’s GDP could contract in 2026 apareció primero en Bitfinance.