Argentina Frontier

Economy & industry overview

Argentina is the second-largest economy in South America, with major industries including agriculture and agribusiness, energy (oil and natural gas), mining, manufacturing, and financial services. The country is one of the world's leading exporters of soybeans, corn, wheat, and beef, and holds the Vaca Muerta shale formation, one of the largest unconventional hydrocarbon reserves globally. Argentina's economy has historically been characterized by recurring cycles of high inflation, currency instability, and sovereign debt restructuring, though a significant fiscal adjustment program was launched under President Javier Milei from late 2023. Annual inflation, which peaked above 211 percent at end-2023, declined sharply to roughly 47 percent by April 2025, reflecting the impact of monetary and fiscal tightening. GDP growth rebounded to an estimated 5.2 percent in 2025 after a contraction in 2024, driven by private consumption, energy exports, and financial sector activity.

Key sectors

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Macro

GDP nominal, USD	$638.37B
GDP growth real, annual	-1.3%
Inflation annual	47.0%
Population people	46.7M
GDP per capita USD	$13,539
Market cap total listed, USD	$90.00B
Market cap / GDP	14.1%
Unemployment	7.5%
Listed companies	100
Exchange	Bolsas y Mercados Argentinos (BYMA) (BYMA)

Primary data year: 2024. Sources: IMF World Economic Outlook 2024, World Bank World Development Indicators 2024, OECD Economic Outlook Volume 2025 Issue 1, MSCI Market Classification Review 2025, Buenos Aires Herald, Buenos Aires Times, INDEC (Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censos), Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs Economic Outlook July 2025, companiesmarketcap.com, CEOWORLD Magazine, disfold.com, stockanalysis.com. Individual figures may cover different reference periods — for example a fiscal year, or an estimate for the current year — and the overview above states these where known.

Local exchange & access

Exchange	Bolsas y Mercados Argentinos (BYMA)
Code	BYMA
Website	www.byma.com.ar
Currency	ARS

Local broker access

Foreign retail investors typically access Argentine equities through US-listed ADRs on NYSE or NASDAQ, or via the Global X MSCI Argentina ETF (ARGT). Direct investment on the BYMA exchange through local Argentine brokers (known as Agentes de Liquidacion y Compensacion, or ALyCs) is possible but subject to Argentina's capital control framework and foreign exchange regulations, which have been progressively eased since April 2025. Cedears (Certificados de Deposito Argentinos) allow Argentine residents to invest in foreign shares locally. International brokers offering access to Latin American markets may provide limited direct BYMA access.

Global brokers with foreign-market access

• Interactive Brokers — Direct access to 90+ markets worldwide, including many emerging exchanges.
• Saxo Bank — Multi-market access across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
• Charles Schwab (Global) — Foreign ordinary shares on select markets; US-listed ADRs and ETFs.
• Fidelity International Trading — International stock trading on a number of developed and emerging markets.

Listed for convenience only. Not a recommendation. Available markets, fees and onboarding rules differ by broker and by your country of residence.

Relocation & residency

Foreign-investor access

Argentina permits foreign nationals to establish residency through standard legal immigration categories including rentier, investor, and employee visas administered by Migraciones Argentina. Buenos Aires is a major regional city with a well-developed services sector, though prospective residents should account for currency controls, high inflation history, and ongoing economic reforms when planning finances. No minimum stay requirement applies to temporary residency holders in most categories.