October 24, 2025 – Debita provides a DLT-powered infrastructure that enables fintechs and SMEs to access capital efficiently, unlock growth, and drive real economic impact. This value proposition was recognized by a jury composed of leaders from Google, Wayra by Telefónica, Funders VC and Tritemius, among others.
Making private credit borderless
With this vision, Debita powered by the fintech Neitec — was named the winner of the 2025 Startup Contest held during Merge Madrid, the most prominent Web3 event connecting Europe and Latin America.
"Debita is an alternative financing channel for the standardised opening up of good private credit opportunities in emerging markets to institutional investors anywhere in the world. With local knowledge and deployment in each market, with precise risk adjustment. We use on-chain rails because we can go further, faster and in more directions." This approach requires a unique team: one that combines the sophistication of European markets with real presence and deep knowledge of Latin America. Julio Ferrón, its Hispanic-Dominican co-founder, leads precisely that bicultural profile that defines Debita's strategy.
The award was announced during the third and final day of the event, which this year brought together more than 3,000 attendees and 200 international speakers at the iconic Palacio de Cibeles. The solution was selected as the winner among 14 startups, chosen from over 200 international applications.
Why on-chain private credit matters
Did you know that, according to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the global SME credit gap amounts to around $5.7 trillion, exceeding $8 trillion when informal businesses are included? Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) represent 90% of all businesses worldwide, yet less than 15% in emerging markets have access to formal credit.
At the same time, private credit has evolved into a $2 trillion global asset class, growing more than fivefold since 2009. However, a $2.5 trillion financing gap continues to constrain SMEs and other productive sectors in emerging economies — a gap that traditional financial institutions have been unable to close.
That’s why Neitec built Debita—the borderless on-chain solution for private credit in emerging markets. Enabling mid-market corporates and fintech lenders to issue institutional-grade private bonds and reach global investors through a single, programmable workflow that standardizes origination, structuring, issuance, servicing, and settlement.
Debita, a unified DLT infrastructure for private credit operations
Debita has been designed as a unified infrastructure based on Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) for private credit operations in emerging markets. Its value proposition seeks to transform a historically fragmented and opaque segment, enabling a new generation of credit transactions that are more structured, accessible, traceable, and programmable.
Unlocks credit opportunities in underserved emerging markets.
Connects private credit stakeholders through institutional-grade infrastructure.
Powers SME and fintech bond issuance via DLT-based smart contracts.
Opens emerging market debt to global investors through stablecoin rails.
Team with top-tier financial and technical expertise
The core team combines technical talent with deep financial expertise. Its engineers bring strong experience in software development, both in traditional and blockchain environments, having contributed to enterprise-grade systems and smart contract architectures.
On the financial side, the team brings over 30 years of combined experience in investment and commercial banking, including leadership roles at institutions such as Banco Santander. Complementing this, business development is led by former members of KPMG Spain’s Digital Assets team, with strong expertise in compliance, strategy, operating models, and tokenized product design.
In addition, the project is advised by a high-level group of current and former executives from institutions such as White & Case, BBVA, and Banco Santander, who bring valuable insight into legal structuring, venture finance, and risk management across Europe and Latin America.
Market traction & institutional positioning
Debita is building the infrastructure to provide global access to private credit with the potential for real, sustainable impact in local economies. With operations already active in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Argentina, the platform has placed over $80 million in deals, validating demand and proving market fit. Its active pipeline exceeds $150 million in opportunities for the coming year across Latin America.
This combination of technological infrastructure, regulatory alignment, and regional traction positions Debita as a catalyst for unlocking the full potential of emerging market credit.
About Debita
Debita is a platform for issuing private debt on DLT, designed to facilitate access to financing for small and medium-sized enterprises in emerging countries, connecting them with international investors. The objective is to democratise access to financing, closing the existing gap and boosting projects with a positive impact.