Pierpaolo Barbieri is an Argentine economic historian, author, and the founder of the fintech unicorn Ualá. Having studied the devastating historical impact of Argentina’s cyclical economic crashes and hyperinflation, Barbieri realized that over half the country was completely locked out of the traditional banking system. He launched Ualá in 2017, offering a free prepaid Mastercard managed entirely through a smartphone. In 2026, Barbieri is the preeminent young financial disrupter of the region. Under his leadership, Ualá successfully acquired official banking licenses in Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia, operating as a fully fledged regional neobank. As Argentina undergoes the radical, highly volatile libertarian macroeconomic shock therapy of the Milei administration, Barbieri’s platform serves as a critical, stabilizing financial lifeline for millions of citizens, offering high-yield digital accounts to combat severe currency devaluation.