A SaaS company in the United States outsources development to three Brazilian firms and pays them every month. One complains about the exchange rate it gets from its bank, another asks to be paid by Pix, and the third sends a nota fiscal in reais. Accounts payable wants one process for all three. What does a company abroad need to pay suppliers in Brazil correctly?
You need the supplier's legal name and CNPJ, a Brazilian account or Pix key, and an agreement on the invoice currency, because whoever is paid in foreign currency has to convert it through an FX operation in Brazil. For recurring payments to several suppliers, a provider that pays out locally in BRL takes the FX step off the supplier's side and makes reconciliation simpler.
What data do you need from a Brazilian supplier?
Collect the payment data once, from the supplier's legal documents, and check it before the first run. Most failed or delayed supplier payments to Brazil come from a mismatch between the beneficiary name and the account holder.
Legal company name (razão social), exactly as registered
CNPJ, the Brazilian company tax ID
Bank, branch and account number, or a Pix key registered to the company
Registered address of the company
The invoice or nota fiscal for each payment
A nota fiscal is the Brazilian tax invoice issued by the supplier. It records the sale for Brazilian tax purposes, and many suppliers send it alongside a commercial invoice in English for the foreign client.
Should the invoice be in BRL or USD?
The invoice currency decides who carries the exchange rate and who deals with the FX operation. Agree on it before the first payment, because changing it later changes the cost for both sides.
1. Invoice in BRL: you carry the FX
When the supplier invoices in reais, your company converts the money before it reaches Brazil. The supplier receives an exact amount in BRL and books it without exchange-rate risk. Your side absorbs the rate movement between invoice and payment.
2. Invoice in USD or EUR: the supplier carries the FX
When the invoice is in foreign currency, the supplier receives dollars or euros and converts them in Brazil through its bank or FX provider. The amount in reais depends on the rate the supplier gets that day. This is often why suppliers complain about receiving less than they expected.
Point | Invoice in BRL | Invoice in USD or EUR |
|---|---|---|
Who carries the exchange rate | The paying company | The Brazilian supplier |
Who closes the FX operation | The payer's provider | The supplier's bank in Brazil |
Predictability for the supplier | High: a known BRL amount | Lower: depends on the rate on arrival |
Predictability for the payer | Lower: the BRL amount is fixed, the USD cost varies | High: a known USD or EUR amount |
For a side-by-side view of the routes to move the money itself, see Transfero's guide on how to send money to Brazil as a business.
What happens on the supplier's side when the money arrives?
Foreign currency that reaches a Brazilian company becomes reais through an FX operation, governed by Law No. 14,286, of December 29, 2021, and BCB Resolution No. 277, of December 31, 2022. The supplier's bank records the nature of the operation, such as export of services or of goods.
That is why a supplier may ask for documents such as the contract or the invoice: they support the declared nature. The nature also defines the IOF tax on the FX leg. Under Decree No. 6,306/2007, article 15-B, inflows generally pay 0.38% and export revenue pays 0%.
How do you run recurring payments to several suppliers?
Monthly supplier runs work best as one batch with one reconciliation file. Three practices keep the process predictable as the number of suppliers grows.
Pay out locally in BRL through Pix, using the supplier's registered key or account
Add a payment reference that matches the invoice number in each transfer
Keep a single file that links each payment to its invoice and nota fiscal
Pix settles in seconds, 24/7, which helps when a run happens at month-end or outside banking hours. The Pix route is covered in detail in Transfero's guide to sending money to Brazil via Pix.
What does a monthly run to three suppliers look like? An example
The US company from the opening pays USD 30,000 a month to its three Brazilian suppliers. Values are illustrative and are not Transfero prices or timelines.
Invoices in USD: the company sends three international transfers. Each supplier receives dollars, converts them at its own bank and gets a different BRL amount depending on the rate and fees on arrival.
Local payout in BRL: the company funds one payment of USD 30,000. The provider converts it once and pays each supplier the BRL amount on its invoice via Pix, with one reconciliation file for the run.
In both cases there is an FX operation. What changes is who carries it and how many times it happens.
Paying several suppliers in Brazil every month? See how local BRL payouts simplify the run.
How does Transfero pay Brazilian suppliers for companies abroad?
Transfero is a financial infrastructure company that connects banking rails, blockchain networks and liquidity for businesses and financial institutions. For companies abroad, it pays recipients in Brazil in reais through local rails, so suppliers receive a known BRL amount.
Cross-border payments with predictable 24/7 pay-outs across multiple countries
BRL collections and payouts through Pix
One integration for funding, conversion and payout
More than 9.8 million transactions processed in 2025
Transfero Instituição de Pagamento Ltda. is authorized by the Central Bank of Brazil to operate as a payment institution. For the broader payout picture, read how BRL payouts work for suppliers, contractors and users.
Questions to ask before your next supplier payment run
Do you have each supplier's legal name, CNPJ and a matching account or Pix key?
Is each invoice in BRL or in foreign currency, and who carries the exchange rate?
Does each supplier know the nature of the operation its bank will record?
Can the run be paid as one batch with one reconciliation file?
What exact BRL amount will each supplier receive?
Talk to our team about paying your Brazilian suppliers: get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay a Brazilian supplier via Pix from abroad?
Not directly from a foreign bank account, because Pix runs between accounts in Brazil. A provider with access to Brazilian rails can receive your funds abroad, convert them to reais and pay the supplier's Pix key or account. The supplier receives BRL in seconds once the payout is sent.
Does the supplier pay tax when receiving from abroad?
The FX operation on the supplier's side carries IOF according to its nature. Under Decree No. 6,306/2007, article 15-B, inflows generally pay 0.38% and export revenue pays 0%. Other taxes depend on the supplier's activity and should be confirmed with its accountant.
Is a nota fiscal the same as an invoice?
Not exactly. The nota fiscal is the Brazilian tax document the supplier issues to record the sale with the tax authorities. Many suppliers also send a commercial invoice in English for the foreign client. Keep both linked to each payment for reconciliation.
How long does a supplier payment to Brazil take?
It depends on the route. A SWIFT transfer can pass through intermediary banks and take one or more business days before conversion in Brazil. A local payout in BRL via Pix settles in seconds once the provider sends it, including weekends.
