$Mira, to understand what is happening in Venezuela today (January 2026), it must be seen as a struggle for digital survival. The situation is tough: the country lives in an economic duality where the official dollar and the "crypto dollar" (USDT) have a huge gap. While the official dollar tries to hold its ground, the USDT on the street already doubles that value. For Venezuelans, cryptocurrencies are not a luxury or a risky investment; they are the life jacket to prevent their salary from vanishing.

The global impact: The laboratory of the world

Venezuela has become the "guinea pig" for digital finance. The whole world is watching us because it has been demonstrated here that stablecoins (currencies worth 1 dollar) can replace banks when the traditional system fails. This massive adoption out of necessity has forced other countries and international organizations to accelerate their crypto laws, whether to copy what works or to impose more controls out of fear of evading sanctions.

The Kontigo case: From glory to a brake

The Kontigo app is the perfect example of how difficult it is to be a fintech here:

The blow from accounts in the U.S.: At the end of 2025, their banking ally abroad cut off their service out of fear of sanctions. Overnight, people could no longer move money to the U.S. financial system, which was their biggest attraction.

Reinvention: To survive, they launched microloans in crypto and their own card to pay at national points of sale using digital balance. They are trying to fill the gap left by traditional banking.

Current reality: They remain operational, but trust has been shaken. There are many complaints about withheld funds and support that is overwhelmed, while other users remain loyal because it is one of the few "legal" options left.

In summary: Venezuela remains the crypto epicenter out of pure necessity, and although apps like Kontigo suffer from external blockages, people continue to use digital assets because, simply, they have no better option.