Rafael Meruane, co-founder and CEO of Notbank by CryptoMarket, expressed interest in forming joint ventures with regulated banks to scale digital asset services. The Chile-originated firm, now registered in Delaware, aims for partnerships to offer products like credit. It recently partnered with a Puerto Rico bank for stablecoin-linked accounts.
In a MergerMarket conversation, Rafael Meruane, CEO of Notbank by CryptoMarket, highlighted interest in strategic alliances with regulated financial institutions. "An alliance of this type would allow expansion into products like credit, which require hard-to-obtain licenses independently," he said. Acquisitions, by contrast, could disrupt internal dynamics and long-term execution, he added.
Founded in Chile in 2016 and restructured under a Delaware holding to attract investors, Notbank has an estimated valuation between USD 30 million and USD 60 million. The firm manages about USD 80 million in assets and serves around 700,000 customers in five countries: Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and Colombia. It provides real-time stablecoin-to-local currency conversion and crypto-as-a-service for fintechs via API.
It recently partnered with a regulated bank in Puerto Rico, enabling clients to open U.S. accounts natively linked to stablecoins, supporting SWIFT, ACH, and PIX transfers. The company plans expansion to at least two more countries this year and is raising USD 3 million to USD 6 million for its B2B business.
Notbank will sponsor Proof of Talk in Paris in June and seeks financial advisors familiar with that ecosystem. Shareholders include co-founder Martín Jofré, ConsenSys with 10% stake, and a stock options program for key employees.