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The New E-Commerce Phenomenon in Latin America
Financial Services Review | Friday, August 02, 2024
The rising cost of everyday items is driving the aggressive expansion of e-commerce globally, particularly from China, into the U.S.A, Western Europe and Latin America. LatAM markets however, have much to give back as successful economies scale and expand globally. This global e-commerce phenomenon presents just as many opportunities, as it does geopolitical and regulatory headaches. Santiago Diaz, D24’s Sales Director, provides an overview of the key players, the opportunities and the pitfalls.
The world has witnessed an unprecedented rise in the establishment of new cross-border trade routes that are digitally connecting continents and increasing trade volumes between nations. This presents a huge opportunity for retailers and a huge economic boost to the markets they operate in through increased sales.
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Today, Latin America accounts for one third of India’s global exports of cars and motorcycles (that represents $1,79 billion of sales). Another example is China. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), trade between China and the LAC region (Latin America & Caribbean) grew 26-fold between 2000 and 2020 from US$12 billion to US$315 billion and much of this growth is emerging from the so-called ‘tangible’ economy such as ecommerce with companies such as Temu and Shein firmly established in LatAm countries.
The potential for Latin America
Mexico, Chile and Colombia have made immense progress in recent years to attract foreign investors and companies looking to embrace nearshoring. These advances include everything from a more streamlined process for business registration to subsidies, grants and tax incentives. With 12 free trade agreements, 80% of Mexico’s industrial production has the United States as its final destination. In Colombia, bureaucracy and documentation have been so simplified, that it is possible to open a company branch in the country in about a week. As a result, expansion from other continents into LatAm is on the rise.
Barriers and challenges to overcome
On the other hand, Brazil has a much more complex structure for opening and taxing companies which makes it harder for international retailers to tap into this lucrative market. Whilst massive expansion with huge economic potential is underway, there are a number of complexities and different legal structures in each LatAm-based country to adhere to. When it comes to legislation, every detail counts. Company taxes, import and export duties and labor rights must all be taken into account before expansion into new markets takes place.
The three main challenges of cross-border payments are; a disparity of standards regulations in different markets; a greater exposure to payments frictions – the failed payments rate is significantly higher among those online businesses operating internationally, and increased vulnerability from fraudsters taking advantage of non-digitized users as the platform broadens. In order to ease retailers’ transitions into new markets there needs to be a framework to ensure safety without over regulating C-commerce platforms, as we’ve seen in LatAm. Cross border payments companies have a role in devising and maintaining this framework for merchants by ensuring commerce regulations, compliance and standards meet the requirements set in each market.
According to cross border research from Lexus Nexus[1], half of the merchants responding reported losing 2% or more of their customers due to failed or delayed international payments; the same research calculates that a global average of 14% of cross-border payments are not completed and incur charges from a banking partner. Data from PYMNTS Intelligence research underscores this, with 70% of U.S-based merchants experiencing higher rates of failed payments in cross border sales compared to domestic sales.
Addressing these challenges, there is a huge opportunity for banks, fintech companies and cross border payments companies to come together and collaborate in building a ‘super ecosystem’ supported by the latest ‘deep payment’ technologies.
Deep payment solutions are able to circumnavigate the payment frictions issue with the creation of AI-enhanced dashboards that provide real-time visibility of the performance of each bank. Any anomalies can be investigated by observing the metrics, such as conversion rate and average approval time. The analysis of these metrics allows D24 to pinpoint exactly where the issue is, beyond just monitoring from a technical standpoint, which drives greater transparency around business performance overall. AI-enhanced dashboards deliver effective mechanisms and screening tools to prevent fraud and minimize payment frictions.
Creating a ‘super ecosystem’
Interlinking payments systems globally is only possible when parties have close trading partners, good relations and can collaborate effectively. This means knowing and trusting partners and having strong, established relationships across all ends of the transaction, from merchants to banks, brokers, intermediaries and regulators in every market. Collaborating with cross border payment companies that are currently based in Latin America with deep working knowledge and solid expertise in the payment types operating in different markets is the first step. International merchants and retailers looking to expand to LatAM, should work with a SaaS-based payments company that provides access to all essential global payment types via a single API. This provides instant, hassle-free access to new markets, adhering to the standards and regulations of each. Via its partners, D24 has integrations with hundreds of local banks, wallets and card acquirers so it can quickly and safely process millions of transactions from people from diverse jurisdictions, every day.
Whilst the global opportunity for expansion into new markets presents lucrative opportunities, international retailers need to overcome the technical hurdles and knowledge barriers to get there by working with payments partners with deep local market knowledge, good relationships with banks and partners, and smart technology that enables easy integration of multiple payment methods.
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FinTech has morphed from being a bunch of challengers using digital capabilities to become a full-layer infrastructure for finance in the modern world. Finance payment transactions, loans, wealth management, insurance, banks and other aspects of financial data have become more and more dependent on technology to the extent where the distinction between financial institutions and technology companies is getting blurry. The emphasis is being put not on innovation but rather on scaling, economic sustainability, and customer value.
According to recent estimates provided by industry analysis, the global FinTech market produced approximately 650 billion dollars of revenue in 2025, which constitutes about 21 percent growth as compared to 2024. FinTech revenues have been growing much faster than the revenues of the broader financial services industry. Nevertheless, they constitute only about 4 percent of the revenues of the whole financial services sector.
Digital Finance Is Becoming Everyday Infrastructure
Payments remain the largest FinTech segment. Global payments revenue increased at an average annual rate of 7 percent between 2019 and 2024, although growth slowed to 4 percent in 2024. Lower-cost account-to-account transfers, digital wallets and faster payment systems are changing how money moves, creating new competitive pressure across established financial networks.
This growth changes the business case for FinTech. Digital financial services can reduce transaction costs, extend access and create new ways for individuals and businesses to manage payments, borrowing, savings and insurance. The World Bank’s Global Findex 2025, based on surveys of about 148,000 adults across 141 economies, also highlights the growing importance of mobile connectivity and digital safety alongside financial access.
AI, Data and Programmable Finance
Artificial intelligence is becoming one of the most significant technology forces shaping FinTech. Financial institutions and technology providers are applying AI to fraud detection, transaction monitoring, risk assessment, customer engagement, software development and payment optimization. The emphasis is moving toward applications that can improve decision quality or reduce the cost of delivering financial services.
The next stage will involve more autonomous financial workflows. AI agents could increasingly compare financial products, initiate transactions, manage routine payments and interact with financial platforms on behalf of users. That possibility introduces new questions around authorization, identity, accountability and consumer protection. Financial services leaders will need governance frameworks that establish where automated systems can act and when human intervention is required.
“The most successful FinTech strategies will combine innovation with discipline.”
Data remains the foundation of these capabilities. Better access to transaction, behavioral and financial data can improve underwriting, personalization and fraud prevention. Yet fragmented systems, inconsistent data quality and privacy requirements can limit the value of advanced analytics. FinTech investments therefore increasingly require attention to data architecture rather than treating software as an isolated purchase.
Tokenization and digital assets are another developing frontier. The Bank for International Settlements has identified tokenization as a potential way to improve payments and financial intermediation while warning that stablecoins and other digital forms of money create new risks for financial stability and financial integrity. The direction of travel is becoming clearer even though the commercial and regulatory models remain unsettled.
Buyers Are Prioritizing Resilience and Economics
Buyers are becoming more discriminating when it comes to investing in FinTech solutions. A good interface or innovative features alone will not do. Financial firms must have technology that can be integrated within their environment, safeguard sensitive information, ensure compliance, and work reliably even when transaction volume is increasing.
Interoperability is another aspect to consider. FinTech ecosystems now consist of financial institutions, payment networks, digital wallets, lending platforms, data providers, and many other financial services. The inability of one system to share information effectively will result in duplication and limit the benefit from digitization. Buyers need to assess APIs, data portability, identity management, and integration architecture along with product features.
Another characteristic that sets mature FinTech vendors apart is economics. Sustainability and growth are possible only when you have customer retention, transaction volume, cost control, and a clear economic model for becoming profitable. Recent market conditions have changed investors' perception in favor of scaled companies with good economics.
The Next Phase Will Be More Connected
FinTech is heading toward a more integrated financial ecosystem. Payments will become increasingly embedded in commerce and software. AI will influence how financial decisions are made. Tokenization could alter how assets move and settle. Fast payment systems will continue expanding the range of services that can be delivered through digital channels.
The transformation will not eliminate traditional financial institutions. Instead, technology is likely to change how banks, insurers, asset managers and other providers interact with customers and infrastructure. Research from the Bank for International Settlements indicates that FinTech and large technology platforms are reshaping competition while incumbent institutions continue to hold important positions across major financial markets.
The most successful FinTech strategies will combine innovation with discipline. Strong technology alone will not determine market leadership. Trust, regulatory readiness, resilient infrastructure, useful data and sustainable economics will increasingly decide which solutions move from experimentation into the financial systems used every day. ...Read more
The integration of AI into private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) firms has evolved from an experimental phase to a cornerstone of their operational strategy. As the financial sector faces increasing data complexity and a demand for rapid, precise decision-making, AI has proven to be a game changer. AI tools are reshaping how these firms conduct business, improving deal sourcing and automating tedious back-office tasks.
AI adoption in the investment world, especially within PE and VC firms, is more than a passing trend. It's quickly becoming a necessary tool to stay competitive. While junior professionals enthusiastically adopt AI for day-to-day tasks, senior partners are sometimes slower to embrace their full potential. Nevertheless, the benefits of AI in managing data-intensive, knowledge-driven operations are undeniable.
Key AI Technologies for PE/VC Firms
Several AI technologies are helping investment firms optimize their workflows:
Optical Character Recognition (OCR): OCR converts scanned documents, PDFs, and handwritten notes into editable and searchable formats. This is vital for extracting data from older or less structured documents.
Intelligent Document Processing (IDP): IDP enhances OCR capabilities by converting data and categorizing and processing complex documents, significantly reducing manual effort and improving accuracy.
Large Language Models (LLMs): These models excel at text generation and processing. In PE and VC, they are particularly useful for drafting reports, summarizing documents, and providing insights from unstructured data.
Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG): By combining LLMs with live data retrieval, RAG allows for real-time analysis, making AI outputs more relevant and accurate when making investment decisions or conducting due diligence.
By leveraging these AI technologies, PE and VC firms can effectively address operational inefficiencies, particularly in document management, data extraction, and market research. Schutte Financial applies tailored portfolio strategies that similarly aim to streamline complex data management and optimize analytical outcomes. These technologies allow firms to enhance accuracy, reduce repetitive tasks, and gain timely insights for strategic decisions.
Practical AI Use Cases in PE/VC
Deal Sourcing and Screening: AI can automate the initial screening of investment opportunities by analyzing startup pitches and identifying patterns that predict success. It helps firms quickly filter through thousands of proposals and focus on the most promising opportunities.
Hecht-Stout Insurance Agency provides independent business insurance solutions that streamline risk management and improve coverage decision processes.
Due Diligence Automation: Due diligence is a time-intensive process involving the review of financial statements, legal documents, and regulatory filings. AI can help by extracting key metrics and organizing them into structured databases, making it easier for investment analysts to assess potential risks and opportunities.
Back-Office Automation: Many PE and VC firms spend considerable time on repetitive tasks such as financial reporting, contract review, and invoice processing. AI can automate these tasks, freeing valuable time for more strategic work and improving accuracy across operations.
Competitive Intelligence and Market Analysis: AI tools can scan the internet for emerging market trends, monitor social media for sentiment analysis, and track competitor activities. By automating these processes, firms gain deeper insights into market dynamics, helping them stay ahead of the competition.
The Path to Successful AI Integration
The integration of AI within investment firms doesn't come without its challenges. Firms must navigate obstacles like data standardization, talent acquisition, and process redesign. Furthermore, AI solutions must be deployed thoughtfully to align with the firm's existing workflows and risk management standards. A clear strategy and a willingness to adapt to new technologies are essential for a successful AI integration. ...Read more
Advisor discussions around direct indexing are being shaped by investor preferences for more tailored approaches to portfolio construction. Investors want exposures that let them express individual priorities, but still keep diversified market exposure. This is making wealth managers look at more flexible options in addition to standard index funds.
The ability to direct holdings gives advisors a way to respond to these requests and meet individual preferences. In this setup, security selection responsibilities shift to the investor. This arrangement allows for a more personalized approach to portfolio construction, since account specifications can be built directly into the investment strategy.
These conversations also bring a different decision-making dynamic. Portfolio discussions now include topics like restrictions, tax planning or legacy goals before an account structure is chosen.
Direct indexing brings more variables to manage. At the same time, investors expect to keep some control over their portfolios. This means advisors need to have more frequent conversations about the responsibilities that come with these accounts. The focus on customization can make investors underestimate how much ongoing oversight is needed to manage a direct index. For this reason, advisors should highlight the importance of portfolio maintenance during these discussions.
The broader discussion suggests that individual preferences may play a bigger role in ongoing portfolio reviews. Individual securities need to be evaluated regularly, since changes in market dynamics or personal circumstances can require updates to the investment strategy to meet stated objectives.
Wealth managers are seeing investor priorities shift. Individuals want to include personal preferences in their investment approach, but still capture diversified market exposure. Direct indexing is one way to address this, though suitability needs to be determined case by case.
Advisor expectations are changing as this conversation evolves. This will affect how direct indexing solutions develop in the future. The ability to customize portfolios will need to be balanced with making sure investors understand the responsibilities involved in managing a direct index over time. How well this is managed will shape how widely this approach to portfolio construction is adopted. ...Read more
Wealth management firms are considering implementation factors before expanding their direct indexing offerings due to the complexities associated with the execution of bespoke index portfolios. This includes the intricacies involved with portfolio management as well as client servicing and oversight, which demand higher levels of personalization compared to standard index funds. The former tends to be especially challenging, as the approach to managing individual securities in investor accounts is significantly different than dealing with funds.
Moreover, the implementation of direct indexing demands that wealth managers re-evaluate their existing processes regarding the review of advisors’ portfolios as well as the broader operations around client communication and account servicing. In particular, there are more aspects to consider when individual securities need to be managed in each portfolio, and these tend to require a higher degree of coordination and oversight. As such, the client servicing aspect tends to play an equally important role in the decision-making process regarding direct indexing.
Furthermore, client education appears to be an integral component of the implementation process, as there are significantly different expectations associated with owning a direct index compared to an index mutual fund or an ETF. As such, advisors may be tasked with helping investors understand the nuances of bespoke portfolio management, including the implications on their investments throughout the life of the account. This is another area where implementation capabilities play an important role in the decision-making process, as it determines the ability of firms to manage accounts on an individual basis while mitigating costs.
The considerations mentioned above appear to play a significant role in the decision-making process of wealth management firms, which suggests that they are prioritizing implementation details when it comes to direct indexing. In particular, the ability to deliver consistent oversight of investor accounts may be one of the most important factors in the consideration process since it ultimately determines the long-term viability of direct indexing as an investment vehicle. At the same time, the overall adoption of direct indexing appears to be growing across the wealth management industry, albeit gradually, and the focus on implementation capabilities suggests that the approach will continue to be expanded by more firms. However, this may also mean that investors should be aware of the potential limitations associated with direct indexing solutions. This includes the ability of advisors and wealth managers to provide consistent oversight of individual securities throughout the investment period. ...Read more
