# Getting started

## What is Andes

Andes is a holding of legally compliant, fully collateralized stablecoins pegged 1:1 to Latin American fiat currencies. Each token in the Andes family is backed by reserves held in audited and regulated bank accounts in its currency's home country, and every minting event is anchored to a Chainlink-verified Proof-of-Reserve attestation.

Our goal is to bring the benefits of blockchain technology to real-world assets across the region, currency by currency, jurisdiction by jurisdiction.

## The Andes token family

| Token | Pegged to                | Country   | Status   |
| ----- | ------------------------ | --------- | -------- |
| ARSa  | Argentine Peso (ARS)     | Argentina | **Live** |
| BRLa  | Brazilian Real (BRL)     | Brazil    | Planned  |
| BOBa  | Boliviano (BOB)          | Bolivia   | Planned  |
| PYGa  | Paraguayan Guaraní (PYG) | Paraguay  | Planned  |
| COPa  | Colombian Peso (COP)     | Colombia  | Planned  |
| MXNa  | Mexican Peso (MXN)       | Mexico    | Planned  |
| SOLa  | Sol (PEN)                | Peru      | Planned  |

Every Andes token shares the same on-chain Stablecoin contract, the same Proof-of-Reserve oracle pattern, and the same operational discipline — only the underlying fiat reserve and the issuing legal entity differ.

## Who we are

Andes is a crypto-finance company born in Latin America, forged in the context of recurring economic crises and systemic mistrust. We strongly believe in the transformative power of blockchain technology to bring transparency, fairness, and open access to financial tools, especially in regions where institutions have historically failed to deliver stability.

We are not just building another fintech layer, we are building a bridge between the real world and the trustless world. Our team comes from the crypto-native ecosystem, and we are committed to leveraging decentralized infrastructure to solve real, tangible problems: access to money, preservation of value, and financial inclusion.

Inspired by the ethos of trust minimization, open protocols, and verifiability, we aim to deliver infrastructure that does not ask users to "trust us", but rather to verify the system themselves.

ARSa is our first step: a fully collateralized, on-chain representation of the Argentine Peso, backed by law, transparently auditable, and accessible to anyone with a smartphone or wallet. The rest of the Andes family will follow the same blueprint.

We’re here because we believe the future of finance must be open, transparent, and censorship-resistant. Especially where it matters most.

## Tokenization of assets

By tokenizing Latin American currencies, we are creating a bridge between traditional finance and decentralized systems, one that is transparent, verifiable, and open to all. Our vision is to empower users by giving them tools that are:

* Accessible: No need for bank branches or paperwork. Just a wallet.
* Transparent: Every movement and backing is verifiable on-chain.
* Programmable: Money that can interact with smart contracts, automation, and innovation.
* Instant: 24/7 settlement, without the friction of legacy rails.
* Censorship-resistant: Built on open infrastructure, not institutional permission.

At Andes, we’re not just wrapping fiat into a token, we’re building a path toward more open, inclusive, and resilient financial systems across the region.

## ARSa Token

ARSa is a digital token that represents 1 Argentine Peso (ARS). It is:

* Fully Collateralized: Each ARSa is backed 1:1 by ARS held in an auditable bank account.
* Transparent: Proof-of-reserve reports are published regularly and available on-chain and off-chain for verification.
* Legally Compliant: ARSa is issued and maintained under the legal framework of Argentina.
* Redeemable: Users can redeem ARSa for ARS through authorized partners or platforms.

Use Cases:

* Cross-border payments with ARS exposure
* Digital wallets and remittances
* Payroll and invoice settlements
* On-chain savings and lending products
* Transparent public sector disbursements

**Proof of Reserve:**

We implement a secure and verifiable Proof-of-Reserve mechanism that ensures that no ARSa can be minted unless the equivalent amount in ARS has been deposited in a custodied bank account. All minting events are linked to reserve attestations that can be independently verified.


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