A SaaS company in Austin has 2,000 paying customers in Brazil, all on international credit cards. Renewals fail every month, and new sign-ups ask the same question at checkout: can I pay with Pix? The company has no Brazilian entity and wants to know if it can accept Pix payments anyway.
Yes, through a provider in Brazil that generates the Pix charge, receives the BRL and settles to the merchant abroad. The merchant does not need a Brazilian entity, but the FX leg follows Brazil’s exchange rules.
Why should a foreign merchant accept Pix?
Because it is how Brazilians pay. Pix, the instant payment system of the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB), processed 8.11 billion transactions in August 2026, a monthly record, according to BCB Pix statistics.
For a merchant, Pix removes two frictions of selling with international cards. The customer pays in reais from a banking app, and the payment is confirmed in seconds.
It also adapts to the device. On desktop, the checkout shows a QR code that the customer scans with a phone; on mobile, a copy-and-paste code or a link opens the banking app directly, so the purchase stays in the same session.
Transfero’s guide on how Pix works covers keys, QR codes and participants in more detail.
Can a company without a Brazilian entity accept Pix?
Yes, through a provider. Pix is open only to accounts at institutions in Brazil, so a foreign company cannot plug into it directly.
A provider with a licensed structure in Brazil receives the payment on the merchant’s behalf. It then converts the BRL and settles the merchant abroad.
Before going live, the provider reviews the merchant in a know-your-business check: company documents, ownership, business model and expected volume. The review defines what the merchant can sell to Brazilian customers through the provider and how payments will be reported.
The FX leg follows Law No. 14,286, of December 29, 2021, in force since December 31, 2022, and BCB Resolution No. 277, of December 31, 2022. From article 49 onward, Resolution 277 covers eFX providers, which handle cross-border payments on behalf of clients.
How does a Pix payment work for a foreign merchant?
Four steps take a payment from the customer’s banking app to the merchant’s account abroad. The customer sees only the first one.
1. Dynamic QR code or Pix link
At checkout, the provider generates a dynamic QR code, unique to that order, or a Pix copy-and-paste link. It carries the amount, the reference and an expiration time.
2. Payment confirmation
The customer scans the code in a banking app and confirms. The provider receives the payment and notifies the merchant’s system, usually by webhook, so the order can be released.
If the customer does not pay before the code expires, the charge lapses and no money moves. The checkout can then issue a new code without creating a duplicate order.
3. Conversion
The provider converts the BRL received into the settlement currency agreed with the merchant. This is the FX operation, carried out under Resolution 277.
4. Settlement abroad
The provider transfers the converted balance to the merchant on the agreed cycle, together with a report that links each payment to its order.
Take the SaaS from the opening. Its 2,000 Brazilian customers pay BRL 300,000 a month via Pix, about BRL 150 each. The provider receives each payment, converts the monthly balance and settles it to the company’s account abroad with one reconciliation report.
Selling to Brazil without Pix? See how foreign merchants accept it.
How do you get paid: BRL, USD or stablecoins?
The choice depends on where the merchant keeps its treasury. Each option has a different path from the Pix to the merchant’s balance.
Settlement | How it works | Fits merchants that
|
|---|---|---|
BRL | Funds stay in reais in a Brazilian account | Have costs or a structure in Brazil |
USD | The provider converts and wires abroad | Run treasury in dollars |
Stablecoins | The provider converts BRL to stablecoins | Already hold stablecoins in treasury |
Settlement in stablecoins is also an FX operation. Since February 2, 2026, Resolution 277 covers operations with virtual assets.
Whatever the currency, the customer pays a normal Pix in reais and never sees the conversion.
The settlement cycle matters as much as the currency. Daily settlement keeps less money waiting in BRL, while weekly or monthly cycles group conversions into fewer, larger operations.
How do refunds and disputes work?
Pix has no chargeback in the card sense. A refund is a new transfer from the receiver back to the payer, which the merchant requests through its provider.
Fraud follows another path. The Special Return Mechanism (MED), created by BCB Resolution No. 103/2021 and updated by BCB Resolution No. 493/2025, lets institutions block and return funds when a payment is linked to fraud.
For the merchant, MED means a payment can be reversed after the sale. The provider’s reports should show these returns so finance can reconcile them.
Pix itself runs under BCB Resolution No. 1, of August 12, 2020, the Pix Regulation.
What does it cost?
Three lines make up the cost. The provider charges a fee per transaction or a percentage of volume, and the conversion carries an FX spread.
IOF, Brazil’s federal tax on FX operations, applies at a rate that depends on the nature of the operation. Ask the provider how it is applied and how it shows up in the price the customer pays.
On the BRL 300,000 monthly volume from the opening, a hypothetical fee of 1% would cost BRL 3,000 and a hypothetical spread of 0.8% another BRL 2,400. These values are illustrative and do not refer to any specific provider.
Compare providers on the total cost per BRL received, not on the transaction fee alone. Transfero’s analysis of Pix through Banking as a Service explains how platforms structure this model.
How does Transfero let foreign merchants accept Pix?
Transfero’s Banking as a Service (BaaS) lets companies move money in Brazil without becoming a bank, on a licensed payment institution structure. Its cross-border payments run on the Transfero Payments Network (TPN), which connects banking rails, blockchain networks and liquidity providers.
Collect and send BRL funds through Pix, via Transfero’s banking infrastructure
Banking rails without setting up a local entity or obtaining a local license
Predictable 24/7 payouts across multiple countries, with more than 180 payout markets
Launch within a few weeks for most clients
The platform processed more than 9.8 million transactions in 2025.
Questions to ask before you add Pix at checkout
How many of your Brazilian customers fail on international cards today?
Do you need dynamic QR codes, Pix links or both in your checkout?
Which settlement currency fits your treasury: BRL, USD or stablecoins?
How does your provider report refunds and MED returns?
Does your provider explain how the FX leg follows Resolution 277?
What is the total cost per BRL received, including spread and IOF?
Talk to our team about accepting Pix.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pix available 24/7?
Yes. Pix runs every day, including weekends and holidays, and each payment is confirmed in seconds. For a foreign merchant, the conversion and settlement abroad follow the provider’s cycle, which is separate from the Pix itself.
How fast is settlement to my account abroad?
It depends on the provider, the settlement currency and the agreed cycle. The Pix from the customer is instant, while conversion and the transfer abroad follow the provider’s process. Ask for the full timeline, from payment confirmation to the credit in your account.
Can customers pay Pix in installments?
A Pix is a single instant transfer, so the merchant receives the full amount at once. For recurring charges, such as subscriptions, the BCB created Pix Automático. Installments, when a customer uses them, come from credit products at the customer’s own institution.
What is MED?
MED is the Special Return Mechanism of Pix, created by BCB Resolution No. 103/2021 and updated by Resolution No. 493/2025. It lets institutions block and return funds when a payment is linked to fraud. Merchants should expect occasional returns and reconcile them with their provider’s reports.
