About Mercado Pago and Its Significance
Mercado Pago, the financial arm of Mercado Libre, has surpassed 1 million active point of sale (POS) terminals in Mexico. This achievement marks a 100% growth from September 2024 and positions Mercado Pago as the leading payment aggregator in the country, with a network comparable to the total of 1.4 million traditional banking terminals.
Key Figures and Relevance
Enrique Horcasitas, Director of Small and Medium Enterprises (pymes) at Mercado Pago, highlighted the significance of this milestone: “Reaching over 1 million active terminals is more than just a milestone; it means that more than one million businesses across Mexico are taking firm steps towards digitalization and professionalization. We have doubled our network in just one year and now compete directly with traditional banking, demonstrating that technology can open real opportunities for businesses that previously lacked access to these tools.”
Nationwide Presence
Mercado Pago reported that its terminals, available in Point Smart 2, Point Air, and Point Mini versions, are present in all 32 Mexican states. The highest concentration of terminals is found in the Ciudad de México, Estado de México, Jalisco, Nuevo León, and Guanajuato regions.
Terminal Distribution
Approximately 60% of the deployed terminals are Smart versions, which allow for receipt printing and offer advanced management features for businesses of various types and sizes.
Impact on Small Businesses
Mercado Pago’s terminals are primarily used by small grocery stores, markets, tianguis, hardware stores, cafes, restaurants, and neighborhood businesses that might not have accessed traditional banking terminals. These businesses not only diversify their payment methods and receive instant cash but also integrate into Mercado Pago’s financial and digital ecosystem.
Credit Eligibility for Businesses
Thanks to the traceability of its operations, businesses using Mercado Pago terminals are eligible for working capital loans within a few months of starting transactions. To date, Mercado Pago has granted over 2.5 million credits to more than 400,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (pymes) in Mexico, many of which were enabled by consistent terminal usage.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is Mercado Pago? Mercado Pago is the financial arm of Mercado Libre, a Latin American e-commerce giant. It offers payment processing services, including point of sale terminals, to businesses and consumers.
- Why is this achievement significant? Surpassing 1 million POS terminals signifies that over one million Mexican businesses are embracing digitalization and professionalization, directly competing with traditional banking services.
- Which types of businesses primarily use Mercado Pago terminals? Small grocery stores, markets, hardware stores, cafes, restaurants, and neighborhood businesses predominantly use Mercado Pago terminals.
- How does using Mercado Pago terminals benefit businesses? Businesses gain access to diverse payment methods, instant cash, and integration into Mercado Pago’s financial ecosystem. They also become eligible for working capital loans based on their transaction history.
- How many credits has Mercado Pago granted to pymes in Mexico? Mercado Pago has provided over 2.5 million credits to more than 400,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (pymes) in Mexico.
