Mercado Libre Named to TIME100 Most Influential Companies of 2026 as the only Latin American company on the flagship list

Today, TIME named Mercado Libre to its annual TIME100 Most Influential Companies list, marking the second consecutive year as the only Latin American company on the flagship list. The company is recognized this year as a Pioneer. Mercado Libre's fintech arm, Mercado Pago, was also recognized as one of the 10 most influential finance companies of 2026, for redefining digital banking in Latin America.

Central to the 100 Most Influential Companies recognition is Mercado Pago, which was built to serve consumers and entrepreneurs across a region where millions remain unbanked. In Q4 2025, Mercado Pago served 78 million active users, processed over 360 transactions per second, and has become the primary source of credit for more than 60% of the SMEs and entrepreneurs in its ecosystem. Across the region, the platform supports 9.5 million entrepreneurs and SMEs, representing 0.81% of GDP in Mexico, 3.2% in Brazil, and 9.8% in Argentina.

"It is a real honor to be recognized by TIME in two rankings this year highlighting our fintech businesses," said Ariel Szarfsztejn, CEO of Mercado Libre. "This reflects the work of our more than 130,000 employees and the trust of the millions of consumers and merchants who rely on our platform every day. We started 26 years ago when Latin Americans had minimal to no access to the internet. Today, we are the driving force behind the shift from offline to online retail, and through Mercado Pago, we are transforming lives by extending credit and financial services to those who have never had them before. The opportunity ahead of us is bigger than ever.”

"This reflects the work of our more than 130,000 employees and the trust of the millions of consumers and merchants who rely on our platform every day."

 

Ariel Szarfsztejn

CEO of Mercado Libre

To assemble the list, TIME solicited nominations across sectors, and polled its global network of contributors and correspondents, as well as outside experts. Then TIME editors evaluated each on key factors, including impact, innovation, ambition, and success. The result is a diverse group of 100 businesses helping chart an essential path forward.

See the full TIME100 Most Influential Companies list here: https://time.com/collection/time100-most-influential-companies/2026/

See the full TIME's 10 Most Influential Finance Companies of 2026 here:  https://time.com/article/2026/04/28/time100-companies-finance/