Bloque offers an open API infrastructure that allows developers to easily integrate prepaid debit card functionality into their platforms, with balances securely stored on Kusama’s blockchain. Targeting financial exclusion in Latin America—where 25% of the population is unbanked—Bloque eliminates the costly barriers, regulatory challenges, and technical difficulties typically associated with issuing debit cards. Unlike standalone wallets, Bloque serves as infrastructure for businesses, enabling them to provide branded, non-custodial debit cards that users can load with stablecoins, use via mobile wallets or physical cards, and even withdraw cash worldwide. This approach not only promotes financial inclusion but also increases Kusama’s blockchain activity, as each transaction generates on-chain fees in KSM.
we introduced CocoWallet, building on the success of CocoMercado, a remittance-based food service that’s supported Venezuela’s elderly through 7,000,000 expats. Now, CocoWallet is tackling financial exclusion in Colombia by launching debit cards with Bloque for the unbanked—and we’re bringing this to Kusama.
Our goal is to onboard 3,000+ unbanked Colombians in the next few months. Here’s how we’ll do it on Kusama:
Why funding us? We are an experienced team with a proven record of building Web3 products. Now, we want to use Kusama in everyday cases worldwide.
Which regions are supported? Mainly LatAm starting in Colombia & Mexico with worldwide availability via Passport.
How will this API handle key material since the wallets are non-custodial?
We use a combination of proxy accounts with defined spending limits. In addition, the “debit callback” endpoint with 3D Secure prompts users to authorize (i.e., sign) transactions—effectively meaning the user “sells” crypto to us so that we can complete the payment on their behalf. Our security model is based on Shamir’s Secret Sharing: at setup, the holder sends us one part of the secret while keeping the other part secure across multiple devices. When a transaction is authorized, the two parts are combined to complete the transaction.
How are redemptions processed?
Today’s redemption channels include Brale Rails (conversion across 10+ chains to USDT/USDC), a DEX liquidity pool for KSM/dUSD, and direct debit card transactions.
Do day-to-day COP inflation swings pose a risk?
Yes, they can. To mitigate this risk, we maintain only small COP buffers in the bank while holding most of our treasury in USD.
How will the system mitigate potential volatility given that settlement can take several days?
Limiting USD buffer sales to twice daily (e.g., morning and afternoon) may expose us to unexpected volatility. Ideally, we offload USD as frequently as market conditions allow. When that isn’t feasible, we rely on compensation accounts, short-term COP buffer loans, SWIFT transfers, and OTC channels to quickly convert USD into COP liquidity.
How would a chargeback or clawback be handled?
For same-day chargebacks—such as paying $5 with KSM for an Uber ride and then canceling—the system applies an adjustment credit by deducting $5 from the USD buffer, converting it to KSM, and crediting your account. For delayed clawbacks—like purchasing a $20 card with KSM on Temu but receiving a faulty product—we detect the issue via Visa’s invoices and balance sheets. In the next payment cycle, we net the amounts between our accounts; for instance, if we owe Visa $100 but receive $20, we pay only $80, converting the extra $20 into KSM and crediting your account.
Whats the relationship with Virto? BloqueDAO is a Virto-spinoff established as a self-governing DAO in Kreivo. We’re leveraging on the Kreivo technology to support non-custodial management of the funds every user tops-up in their Kusama Pay cards.
Bloque is a company that helps other businesses add prepaid debit card services to their platforms. They use a special type of computer system called Kusama's blockchain to keep track of the money safely. Bloque wants to help people in Latin America who don't have bank accounts, which is about 25% of the people there. They make it easy for businesses to give their customers debit cards that can be used with special money called stablecoins. These cards can be used on phones or as plastic cards, and people can even take out cash from them anywhere in the world.
Bloque works with other companies like Pomelo and Visa to make debit cards, and they have a partnership with a big bank in Colombia called Bancolombia. They also work with a company called Truora to make sure people are who they say they are when they sign up for a card.
Bloque's first customer is a company called Coco Wallet, which is helping people in Colombia who don't have bank accounts. They plan to get more than 3,000 new customers in the next few months by using Bloque's services on Kusama's system. This will help more people use a special type of money called KSM, and it will also make the Kusama system more active because every time someone uses their card, it creates a small transaction on the system.
Bloque has a lot of questions and answers on their website if you want to learn more about how they work and why they are doing this. They are a team with experience in making things work on the internet and they want to use Kusama to help people use this special type of money in their everyday lives.
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