Ledn Co-Founder: The Era of Lower-Cost Bitcoin Loans Is Coming

Bitcoin Lending to Enter Global Price War as Traditional Finance Joins the Fray

Ledn co-founder Mauricio Di Bartolomeo sees a revolution brewing in the world of bitcoin-backed lending — and it’s not just happening in the U.S. “We’re on the cusp of a global rate war,” he said, “and that’s going to benefit borrowers everywhere.”

In an interview with CoinDesk, Di Bartolomeo said the Trump administration’s more accommodating stance toward crypto — particularly the rollback of SEC guidance SAB 121 — is unlocking the doors for big banks to step into the market.

As a result, he expects interest rates on bitcoin-backed loans to tumble worldwide. “Right now, we’re lending dollars at over 12.5%, fully collateralized, with zero defaults in seven years,” Di Bartolomeo noted. “Once banks realize how attractive this is, they’ll undercut each other — 12%, then 10%, then 8%. That’s how markets evolve.”

And because bitcoin is a global, fungible asset, this shift isn’t confined to Wall Street. “Bitcoin in Nigeria is the same as bitcoin in New York,” he said. “That creates an equal playing field for financing, something gold or real estate could never offer.”

This means borrowers in countries with underdeveloped banking systems could soon gain access to financial products typically reserved for wealthier nations — all without selling their BTC.

Ledn, based in Canada, has already issued $9 billion in digital asset loans since 2018. The company got its start serving bitcoin miners in Venezuela and Canada, where Di Bartolomeo saw a need for liquidity without liquidation. Today, Ledn offers bitcoin and ETH-backed loans, yield-generating accounts, and stablecoin products.

Unlike competitors that chased U.S. growth and collapsed in 2022, Ledn focused early on Spanish-speaking markets like Colombia, Mexico, and Spain — a strategy that helped it endure crypto winter and thrive globally.

Di Bartolomeo is bullish on what comes next. “We’re about to see bitcoin-backed credit evolve from a niche offering into a mainstream financial product,” he said. “And we’re ready to compete on a much larger stage.”

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