Juan Pablo Spinetto, Columnist

China Is Quietly Sparking Latin America’s Startup Race

November 4, 2025 at 10:30 AM UTC

JP Spinetto is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Latin American business, economic affairs and politics. He was previously Bloomberg News’ managing editor for economics and government in the region.

The new kid on Latin America’s investing block.
Photographer: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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While the US is flexing its military muscle in the Caribbean with warships and B-1 bombers, China is waging a more discreet battle in Latin America: The race to back the region’s most promising startups.

For Latin American entrepreneurs, the arrival of Chinese investors with deep pockets amid a severe funding drought is welcome news. Yet founders beware: In today’s overheated great-power rivalry, accepting Chinese money could complicate their ambitions to expand in the US in the future or eventually list on American exchanges.