Taiwanese game studios are globally recognized for their strong intellectual property development and mobile-centric game design
According to Eduardo de Abreu, the Chief Product Officer of the global tech company EBANX, these specific strengths align perfectly with Latin American consumer habits
During a recent interview with The Storm Media regarding expansion into Latin America by various global companies, Eduardo noted that the region's mobile-first nature is a natural fit for the microtransaction and live-service monetization models that Asia-Pacific developers already utilize and understand well
Historically, Taiwanese developers have prioritized East Asia or North America for initial launches, treating Latin America as a secondary market where new games or monetization features were tested much later
Overcoming the Expansion Hurdle
While consumer demand is high, Taiwanese companies face a distinct hurdle in entering Latin America: adapting to local payment infrastructure
In Brazil, for example, more than 60 million adults do not own a credit card, while Colombia has a credit card penetration rate of only 18%
Launching with a global, card-only payment setup means Taiwanese publishers structurally exclude a massive portion of potential gamers from participating, de Abreu notes.
To successfully penetrate these markets, he suggests that Taiwanese studios must adopt native, mobile-first alternative payment methods such as Brazil's instant payment system, Pix, which now accounts for 20% of the country's gaming payments and is utilized by 95% of the population
Similarly, account-to-account transfers command a 35% market share in Colombia, and digital wallets make up 26% of Peru's market
If Taiwanese merchants can adapt to these new types of payment systems, the returns could be significant
Integrating recurring payment functions like Brazil's Pix Automático has tripled subscription numbers and nearly quadrupled payment volumes month over month for EBANX merchants
For Taiwanese gaming publishers planning to diversify beyond saturated home markets and enter countries like Brazil or Mexico in 2026, de Abreu advises thinking about how to ensure sustainable growth through utilizing digital wallets, setting up recurring purchases in-game, and understanding local payment options in various markets.
