Key Takeaways
- Who AdOpt is: a Brazilian cookie consent and privacy compliance startup founded in 2020, just as Brazil’s data protection law (LGPD) took effect. Today it operates in 30 countries, powers more than 60,000 websites, and has been acquired by a French group.
- The decision that changed its trajectory: instead of operating solely as a Brazilian entity, the founders incorporated in the United States with Globalfy and began charging recurring subscriptions in US dollars through Stripe.
- The results: within a few months of incorporating, the company went from 100 paying customers on boleto (a Brazilian bank payment slip) to 400 customers and $5,000 in monthly recurring revenue, fully bootstrapped.
- Why it matters: the US entity did more than open the door to international sales. It shaped access to credit, cash flow predictability, customer trust, and the company’s appeal to foreign buyers.
- Who this case is for: SaaS founders, startups with dollar-denominated costs, companies in industries where trust drives the purchase, and founders considering foreign investment or an international exit.
AdOpt at a Glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What AdOpt does | Cookie consent and privacy compliance tool for websites |
| Founded | 2020, as Brazil’s LGPD took effect |
| Where it’s incorporated | United States, with support from Globalfy |
| Funding model | 100% bootstrapped, no funding rounds |
| Current reach | 60,000+ websites in 30 countries |
| Customer base | About 80% Brazilian, plus customers in the US and Portugal |
| Outcome | Acquired by a French group |
What Is the AdOpt Case?
AdOpt is a Brazilian startup that chose to operate through a US company from the very beginning. That decision shaped its growth, from its first recurring customer all the way to its acquisition by a foreign group.
In August 2020, Brazil’s General Data Protection Law (LGPD) took effect without the postponement much of the market had been counting on. Practically overnight, daily visits to the landing page of AdOpt, then an early-stage cookie consent tool, jumped from 50 to 5,000.
The founders had just lost their previous company, a big data SaaS, during the pandemic. They saw the sudden surge in demand as a chance to start over, this time with a product built for the global market from day one.
Why Did AdOpt Incorporate in the US?
It wasn’t about the prestige of “owning an American company.” It was a strategic call about how to sell a compliance product and how to grow without being held back.
Trust at the point of purchase
With compliance software, a customer risks fines of up to 2% of revenue if the tool fails. That means they need complete confidence in their vendor, and where that vendor is based weighs on the decision. For the founders, a global structure signaled credibility from the first conversation and helped counter the skepticism Latin American vendors often run into.
A leaner operation from day one
Their past experience mattered too. The founders had seen firsthand how much time notaries, commercial registries, and government paperwork can take away from an early-stage company. With AdOpt, they wanted an operation that was leaner and ready to grow in any market.
Why not do it alone?
The founders knew about free incorporation options like Stripe Atlas. Even so, they preferred a partner with specialized, hands-on support to handle the complexity of the process, and incorporated with Globalfy.
From Boleto to Dollars: A Growth Timeline
By the end of 2020, AdOpt had 8,000 to 10,000 users on its freemium plan and its first 100 paying customers, all paying by boleto. Incorporating in the US unlocked recurring credit card billing, and the impact showed up in the numbers almost immediately.
| When | Milestone |
|---|---|
| August 2020 | LGPD takes effect; landing page traffic jumps from 50 to 5,000 visits a day |
| End of 2020 | 8,000 to 10,000 freemium users and 100 paying customers on boleto, billed through a borrowed Brazilian entity to validate the business model. The founders held back demand so they could bill everything through the US once the LLC launched. |
| June 2021 | US incorporation with Globalfy |
| Two weeks later | Recurring card payments integrated through Stripe |
| End of that month | 100 customers on recurring subscriptions |
| September 2021 | 400 paying customers and $5,000 in monthly recurring revenue (MRR) |
| Today | 60,000+ websites in 30 countries and an acquisition by a French group |
What Changes When a Startup Bills in Dollars?
Many Brazilian founders see the US only as a market to sell into. AdOpt’s story shows that a US structure also changes access to capital, pricing, and how much customers trust you.
Access to credit
With recurring revenue in dollars, a US company can qualify for credit lines based on its own revenue, with no collateral required. That’s a very different reality from relying on Brazilian credit lines and receivables financing, which tend to be expensive and eat into margins.
Predictable cash flow
At their previous company, the founders paid up to $5,000 a month for cloud infrastructure, billed in dollars, while earning in Brazilian reais. With revenue and costs in the same currency, exchange rate swings stopped distorting their growth projections. For software startups, which usually pay for servers, tools, and APIs in dollars, that alignment makes financial planning much simpler.
Growth without investors
Dollar-based recurring revenue, accessible credit, and predictable costs allowed AdOpt to grow fully bootstrapped. Customers funded the business, with no need for funding rounds.
How the US Structure Prepared AdOpt for the Global Market
From the start, the founders wanted to build a company ready for investors or buyers from anywhere in the world. That choice paid off when AdOpt caught the attention of foreign acquirers.
A US company follows legal and accounting standards that the international market already knows well. That makes the business easier to understand and value for anyone looking at it from outside Brazil.
Diversification matters too. International buyers rarely acquire a startup whose entire customer base sits in a single country. Companies that have validated their product in the US and in more than one market tend to command higher valuations than those limited to one.
Can You Have a US Company and Keep Selling in Brazil?
Yes. Having a US company doesn’t mean leaving Brazil behind. About 80% of AdOpt’s customers are still Brazilian, and the company also serves customers in the US and Portugal, two markets with very different profiles.
According to the founders, American customers buy, decide, and cancel faster, and they expect speed and a product that delivers. Brazilian customers, on the other hand, value relationships and close support, often over WhatsApp. An international structure lets a single company serve both.
Who Is This Model For?
SaaS founders
You charge subscriptions to customers in Brazil and abroad and need recurring payments in dollars, along with credibility with payment processors and investors.
Startups with dollar-denominated costs
You pay for servers, APIs, and tools in dollars and want revenue and expenses in the same currency to reduce exchange rate risk.
Companies in industries where trust drives the purchase
You work in areas like compliance, security, or data, where a vendor’s origin and structure influence the customer’s decision.
Founders considering foreign investment or an exit
You want a structure that foreign investors and buyers can understand without having to decode another country’s laws.
Lessons from the AdOpt Case
- Decide on your structure early. Incorporating in the US from the start spares you complex corporate restructuring once the company has grown.
- Think about trust, not just market. In sensitive industries, where your company is based shapes the buying decision.
- Keep revenue and costs in the same currency. If your costs are in dollars, billing in dollars reduces exchange rate risk.
- Get ready for outside interest. An internationally recognized structure makes conversations with foreign investors and buyers easier.
- Don’t give up on your Brazilian customers. You can have a US company and keep serving your local market well.
Start Your US Company with Globalfy
Globalfy is an all-in-one platform that helps entrepreneurs form, structure, and manage their companies in the United States. Over 11 years, it has served more than 12,000 founders in over 100 countries, combining technology, compliance, and expert support from incorporation to day-to-day tax management.
Like AdOpt, many founders choose Globalfy because dedicated specialists guide them through every step: company registration, EIN, US bank account, and annual tax filings. If you’re still deciding on the right setup, it’s worth understanding the difference between an LLC and a C Corp and which state makes the most sense for your business.
Talk to a Globalfy specialist and find the right plan for your business.
FAQ
What is AdOpt?
AdOpt is a Brazilian privacy compliance startup specializing in cookie consent. Its tool helps websites comply with the LGPD and other privacy laws. Founded in 2020, the company operates through a US structure, is present in 30 countries, and its technology runs on more than 60,000 websites.
Why would a Brazilian startup open a company in the US?
A Brazilian startup opens a US company to sell and get paid in dollars, access American tools and credit, and build credibility with international customers and investors. For AdOpt, the US structure also helped convey trust in a sensitive industry like compliance, and made the company easier for foreign buyers to evaluate.
Can you have a US company and still sell to Brazilian customers?
Yes, you can have a US company and keep serving customers in Brazil. AdOpt is a case in point: despite being US-based, about 80% of its customers are Brazilian. An international structure lets a single company serve different markets.
Does billing in dollars help a startup grow without investors?
Billing in dollars can help a startup grow without investors, especially when part of its costs is already in dollars. Keeping revenue and costs in the same currency reduces exchange rate exposure and makes projections more predictable. US companies with recurring revenue can also access credit lines based on their own revenue. AdOpt grew 100% bootstrapped with this model.
Does having a US company increase a startup’s value?
A US company can make a startup more attractive to international investors and buyers because it follows widely recognized legal and accounting standards. On top of that, companies that have validated their product in the US and in more than one market tend to reach higher valuations than those concentrated in a single country.
Do I need to live in the US to open a company there?
No, you don’t need to live in the US to open an American company. Non-residents can register an LLC or C Corp, get an EIN, and open a bank account remotely. The entire process can be done from Brazil, with support from a specialized platform like Globalfy.