Ripio Credit Network

Ripio Credit Network (RCN) operates as an open-source, global credit network utilizing blockchain technology to connect lenders and borrowers worldwide. The firm is a subsidiary of Ripio, a broader financial services company founded in 2013 by Argentine entrepreneur Sebastián Serrano and co-founder Luciana Gruszeczka. Serrano, a self-taught programmer from a young age, ventured into the Bitcoin space around 2012, leading to the creation of Ripio (initially BitPagos) to address financial accessibility gaps in Latin America. The parent company, Ripio, has successfully raised approximately $53.1 million over several funding rounds, backed by investors such as Digital Currency Group, Pantera Capital, and Tim Draper.

Ripio Credit Network itself was established in 2017 to democratize access to credit, particularly in emerging markets where a large portion of the population remains unbanked. It conducted an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) in 2017, raising a total of $37 million to fund the development of its peer-to-peer lending protocol. The network functions on the Ethereum blockchain, leveraging smart contracts to standardize and secure lending operations. This infrastructure aims to create a more transparent, borderless, and efficient market by reducing reliance on traditional banking intermediaries and their associated costs. The business model enables lenders and borrowers to transact directly, while users can interact with the platform using their local fiat currency, making it accessible to those unfamiliar with cryptocurrency.

The core of the offering is the RCN Protocol, an open-source set of smart contracts, and the RCN Credit Marketplace, a proprietary decentralized application (dApp) that serves as the user gateway. Through the dApp, creditors can offer both Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and Centralized Finance (CeFi) loans, while borrowers can request peer-to-peer (P2P) loans. A distinct feature of the network is the inclusion of an intermediary agent known as a "Cosigner." This agent acts as a form of insurance, neutralizing the lender's credit risk by managing debt collection in the borrower's country of residence in the event of a default. The native utility token of the network is RCN, which is used to facilitate transactions and access the network's features. The value and demand for the RCN token are linked to the platform's overall usage and transaction volume.

Keywords: Ripio Credit Network, RCN, Sebastián Serrano, peer-to-peer lending, blockchain credit, decentralized finance, DeFi lending, CeFi loans, global credit network, smart contracts, Ethereum dApp, financial inclusion, emerging markets, P2P loans, crypto lending, RCN token, ICO, digital credit, fintech, Latin America finance, borderless lending, credit marketplace, Cosigner, debt collection