MercadoLibre

Founded in Argentina in 1999, MercadoLibre is an online marketplace that also owns Mercado Pago, a leading payment and financial services app in Mexico and Argentina.

A person holds a framed portrait of a leader amidst a large crowd, with Venezuelan flags and banners in the background.

Regional Champions 7 January 2026

Why Venezuela’s political shock had MercadoLibre’s stock rallying

Donald Trump’s capture of Nicolás Maduro has fueled speculation that the Latin American e-commerce company will gain from a political change in Venezuela.

By Ananya Bhattacharya

An automated bar code reader scans packages prepared for shipping at an Amazon Fulfillment.

Tech Giants 23 January 2025

Why Amazon is struggling to crack Argentina

The company, which recently launched free shipping to Argentina, faces major challenges from regional rival MercadoLibre and a network of smugglers.

By David Feliba

Regional Champions 7 November 2024

Argentina’s banks accuse MercadoLibre of monopolizing the market

The rivalry between the giant Argentine e-commerce company and a group of banks has turned into a heated legal showdown.

By David Feliba

Two clothing store worker sits behind the register using computers, one of the screens shows an ecommerce store page.

China Outside China 8 April 2024

Shein fights for a cut of Brazil’s $3-billion garment market

After the pandemic pushed Brazilian manufacturers and store owners to digitize their businesses, e-commerce platforms began pulling out all the stops to lure vendors.

By Laís Martins

Boys wearing face masks fly kites over the city in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Creator Economy 28 March 2024

Brazil banned these killer kites. Influencers are keeping the black market alive

By advertising on Instagram and TikTok, and selling through marketplaces, vendors are finding their way around the ban.

By Matheus Andrade and Daniela Dib

China: The world’s shopping cart 14 November 2023

How Shein and TikTok Shop are trying to shake the ‘Made in China’ reputation

Chinese platforms came for global customers. Now they want global sellers.

By Peiyue Wu and Daniela Dib

The Platform Economy 9 October 2023

How Netflix crushed the Latin American password black market

Experts believe Netflix’s new policies have forced account resellers to change their tactics.

By Daniela Dib and Andrew Deck

A photo illustration of a person holding a cardboard delivery box from the company Mercado Libre against a checkered, green background.

Exporter Newsletter 31 August 2023

Why Amazon isn’t the Amazon of Latin America

The paradox of e-commerce.

By Russell Brandom

A photo showing a woman's hands holding an Amazon Prime box.

Latin America Newsletter 5 July 2023

Mexico’s growing e-commerce infrastructure is built on top of its smallest shops

Amazon and MercadoLibre get all the credit, but it’s really a patchwork of mom-and-pop shops that keep Mexico’s e-commerce running.

A photo of a stack of cardboard shipping boxes with Mercado Libre labels.

Latin America Newsletter 26 April 2023

MercadoLibre is a massive fish in a medium-sized pond

The Argentine e-commerce company is no doubt beating the likes of Amazon in Latin America, but how comparable are the two?

By Alex González Ormerod

Money 30 March 2023

Mexicans say some police officers are taking bribes with mobile payment services

Victims of extortion say reimbursements are extremely difficult since apps and banks say they handed over their cards voluntarily.

Report 23 November 2022

Risky digital wallets help Argentines fight inflation

Payment apps cushion users from a falling peso but won’t protect them from theft.

By Lucía Cholakian Herrera