#162: Drex Without Blockchain? Exploring the Road Ahead with Gustavo Cunha and Marcos Sarres

Brazil's Central Bank shocked the market by removing blockchain from its signature Drex CBDC project and pivoting to a simpler vision. After driving Brazil's blockchain adoption for years, is this a rug pull or an opportunity for private sector leadership?Host Aaron Stanley is joined by Gustavo Cunha (Fintrender CEO, former banking executive) and Marcos Sarres (GoLedger CEO, Hyperledger specialist) to unpack this pivotal moment. We explore why Ethereum's privacy challenges, extended development timelines, and multi-bank coordination proved too complex, plus the broader factors including US stablecoin trends and Central Bank leadership changes.Despite the apparent setback, DREX transformed Brazil's financial landscape - major banks now have 20-30 person blockchain teams and multiple tokenization projects are launching. The key question: who will fill the leadership vacuum and drive Brazil's tokenized future forward?------------------------------------------------------------------Brazil Crypto Report is presented by AveniaIf you're building a wallet, a crypto consumer app, or a global payment platform, Avenia is your bridge to Latin America. Instantly connect to PIX, SPEI, and CBU using stablecoins — with one API. No banks. No FX desks. No SWIFT. Move money globally, with full compliance and real-time settlement. Learn more at avenia.io.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Brazil Crypto Report is presented by P2P.MeP2P.me is the fastest way to buy and sell crypto in Brazil using Pix: direct, secure, and fully onchain. Backed by Multicoin and Coinbase Ventures, P2P.me offers a compliant on and off ramp with, ZK-KYC, and no hidden fees. You can easily use P2P.me to pay PIX QR codes in Brazil using your USDc balance. Topup, scan and pay. Visit br.p2p.me to get started and earn $50 per operation limit.------------------------------------------------------------------💣 For editorial and sponsorship inquiries: [email protected]#brazil #web3 #crypto #blockchain #bitcoin #ethereum #fintech #latam #defi #onchain #regulation #cryptonews #stablecoins #tokenization