Bitcoin Lending Set to Transform as Global Banks Eye Digital Collateral
The next chapter in bitcoin lending is taking shape, and it’s going to look radically different — more accessible, more competitive, and, most importantly, cheaper for borrowers around the world.
According to Mauricio Di Bartolomeo, co-founder of digital asset lender Ledn, the Trump administration’s pro-crypto regulatory stance is opening the floodgates for traditional financial institutions to enter the bitcoin loan market. With the rollback of SEC accounting restrictions like SAB 121, the barriers to institutional participation have been significantly lowered.
“This is the beginning of a global reshaping of how we finance against digital assets,” Di Bartolomeo told CoinDesk. “Rates on bitcoin-backed loans are about to drop sharply as competition heats up, not just in the U.S., but globally.”
Ledn, which has originated $9 billion in loans since 2018, is positioning itself at the forefront of this shift. As large banks begin offering crypto-collateralized loans, Di Bartolomeo predicts a race to the bottom on interest rates — a development that could put such loans on par with conventional credit lines or home equity products.
“Today we lend at 12.5%, but when a big bank enters at 11%, another will offer 10%, and so on. Eventually, we’ll reach rates that are competitive with legacy finance,” he said. “The big winners will be consumers.”
Bitcoin’s borderless nature makes this transformation even more significant. “Unlike physical assets, bitcoin is consistent worldwide,” Di Bartolomeo noted. “That means someone in Argentina or Nigeria can access the same financial tools as someone in New York or Berlin — with the same quality collateral.”
Ledn was built with global access in mind. Unlike many U.S.-focused crypto lenders that collapsed during the 2022 downturn, Ledn expanded early into Latin America and Spanish-speaking markets. Now, with crypto lending gaining legitimacy, Ledn is poised to scale alongside traditional finance.
“The market is going to grow massively,” Di Bartolomeo said. “If we stay focused, Ledn will have a permanent place at that table. And the table is about to get very, very large.”
