Latin American payments fintech Akua has appointed Gilberto Martins as a strategic advisor, a key move as it prepares to enter the Brazilian market. This appointment strengthens its leadership team with deep expertise in the global financial sector. Martins is expected to be pivotal in navigating the region's complex regulatory landscape.
A Powerhouse Advisory Board
Gilberto Martins, also known as Giba, brings over three decades of experience from key roles at Mastercard and EBANX. His career is marked by leadership in international regulatory and legal affairs across Latin America, the US, Europe, and Asia. He has been instrumental in major processes like IPOs and building regulatory frameworks.
Martins joins a distinguished board that includes Alexandre Magnani, former CEO of PagBank, and Edison Raposo, a former vice president at Mastercard. This trio forms a council with complementary expertise in technology, strategic growth, and the global payments ecosystem. Their combined experience will guide Akua’s strategic direction and solidify its market presence.
Navigating Brazil's Regulatory Landscape
The appointment comes as Akua advances its plans to enter Brazil, its primary axis for regional expansion. Rodrigo Rodrigues, Akua's COO, noted that regulatory complexity and international growth are now structural necessities for fintechs. This hire directly addresses the challenges and opportunities within Brazil’s sophisticated financial environment.
Martins' expertise is vital for navigating Brazil's evolving regulations, including new Central Bank rules on risk management and Banking as a Service. Akua will leverage this knowledge as a strategic advantage for clients seeking to scale their operations in the country. This helps partners adapt in a market where compliance is increasingly complex and costly.
AI-Driven Payment Solutions
Akua operates on an AI-native payment infrastructure, where artificial intelligence is the core engine rather than a supplementary layer. This architecture enables a modular, cloud-native platform that adapts to regulatory and technological changes with superior speed. The company's technology is designed to overcome the limitations of legacy systems common in the industry.
The company's business model centers on an "Acquiring-as-a-Service" vision, aiming to let companies deploy a complete acquiring solution in hours. Its platform integrates over 20 native AI agents to automate functions like fraud detection, dispute resolution, and onboarding. This unified, data-driven approach replaces fragmented traditional models.
Growth Trajectory and Financial Backing
Founded in 2024, Akua already operates in Colombia, Uruguay, and Guatemala, with plans for further expansion into Argentina, Peru, and Central America. The company's entry into Brazil marks the next major step in its mission to build next-generation payment infrastructure. This regional strategy is designed to address the specific needs of emerging markets.
Akua's expansion is supported by significant investment, having closed a $13 million seed round in October 2025. The round was co-led by Flourish Ventures and Cathay Latam, who are backing the company's vision to lead Latin American fintech infrastructure. This capital is crucial for fueling its technological development and market penetration.
The strategic addition of Gilberto Martins to its board is a milestone for Akua as it targets the Brazilian market. By combining industry expertise with its AI-native infrastructure, the company is strongly positioned to address Latin America's payment challenges. Akua's focus on regulatory navigation and innovation signals its commitment to shaping the future of finance.