Vista Energy SAB’s American depositary receipts are up 5% Monday on news that Peter Thiel’s hedge fund disclosed a $76 million stake in Argentina’s largest oil exporter.
Thiel Macro LLC reported owning almost 1.2 million shares of Vista at the end of the second quarter, valued at about $76 million. This was the fund’s second-largest disclosed holding after Amazon.
Thiel, the co-founder of Palantir and PayPal, has deepened his ties to Argentina. He recently bought a home in Buenos Aires and met President Javier Milei in April, fueling speculation about increased investment in the country, which is undergoing a radical shift from failed socialism toward free-market capitalism.
Vista Energy is a Mexico-incorporated independent producer focused almost entirely on Argentina’s Vaca Muerta shale formation. Latest data show that the formation’s combined oil and natural gas output has surpassed 1 million barrels a day.
Bloomberg noted:
Under Milei, Argentina has removed controls on oil prices and exports, and regained access to global financial markets, jump-starting growth in its Vaca Muerta shale patch in Patagonia, where combined crude and natural gas production has already surpassed 1 million barrels a day. The boom is starting to transform Argentina’s economy.
Since Milei was sworn in on December 10, 2023, taking the oath of office in Buenos Aires, Vista ADRs have risen 139%.
Bloomberg data show that Theil now ranks as the 15th-largest shareholder.Â
Milei’s economic reforms are aimed at attracting foreign investment, particularly in the country’s natural resources, including oil, rare-earth minerals, and lithium.
Tyler Durden
Mon, 08/17/2026 – 20:30
