A software company in Berlin wants to sell subscriptions to Brazilian customers. Its checkout takes cards in euros, and half of its Brazilian leads drop off at payment. The question is how payments in Brazil actually work, and what the company needs to take part.
Pix, the Central Bank’s instant payment system, is the most used payment method in Brazil, with 8.11 billion transactions in August 2026, alongside cards (often in installments) and boletos. A foreign company can accept and send BRL through a provider in Brazil without its own local entity, as long as the FX leg follows Brazil’s exchange rules.
How do people and businesses pay in Brazil?
Four methods cover most payments in the country. Each one settles differently and fits a different kind of purchase.
Pix
Pix is the instant payment system created and operated by the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB). It processed 8.11 billion transactions in August 2026, a monthly record, according to BCB Pix statistics.
Payments run 24/7 and use a Pix key, such as a tax ID, email or phone number, or a QR code at checkout. Transfero’s guide on how Pix works covers keys, participants and settlement in more detail.
Cards and installments
Credit and debit cards remain common, especially for higher-value purchases. Brazilian consumers often split a purchase into monthly installments, known as parcelado, and many merchants offer them without interest.
For a foreign merchant, installments change the cash cycle. The customer pays over several months, so the merchant either waits or advances the receivables through its acquirer.
Boleto
A boleto is a payment slip with a barcode, issued by the merchant through a bank or payment provider. The customer pays it in a banking app, at a bank branch or at authorized outlets.
Boletos still serve customers who prefer not to use cards and businesses that pay invoices. They settle in business days, not seconds, which makes Pix the faster option for most online sales.
TED and bank transfers
TED is the traditional bank transfer between accounts at different institutions. It runs on business days and banking hours and is now used mostly for high-value or business-to-business transfers.
Who regulates payments in Brazil?
The BCB regulates payment arrangements and payment institutions under Law No. 12,865, of October 9, 2013. Any company that holds client funds or runs payment accounts in Brazil falls under this framework.
Pix has its own rulebook, BCB Resolution No. 1, of August 12, 2020. The Special Return Mechanism (MED), created by BCB Resolution No. 103/2021 and updated by BCB Resolution No. 493/2025, sets how funds can be returned in cases of fraud.
Cross-border flows follow the FX framework. Law No. 14,286, of December 29, 2021, in force since December 31, 2022, set the current rules, and BCB Resolution No. 277, of December 31, 2022, regulates the FX market.
How can a foreign company accept payments in BRL?
The most direct path is a provider in Brazil that collects BRL on the company’s behalf. The customer pays in reais, often by Pix, and the provider settles, converts and transfers the proceeds abroad.
Take an illustrative e-commerce based abroad that sells BRL 500,000 a month to Brazilian customers via Pix. Each payment settles in BRL with the provider. At the agreed cycle, the provider converts the balance and transfers it to the company in USD.
The company never opens a Brazilian bank account, and the customer pays with the method they already use every day. Transfero’s analysis of Pix through Banking as a Service shows how this model works for platforms.
Want to accept Pix from Brazilian customers? See how it works.
How can a foreign company pay out in BRL?
The flow runs in reverse. The company funds a provider abroad, the provider converts to BRL and sends a Pix to each recipient in Brazil.
This fits marketplaces paying sellers, platforms paying contractors and exporters paying local suppliers. The recipient only needs an account at an institution that participates in Pix, and the company receives one status file per batch.
How do FX and taxes affect payments?
Every payment that crosses the border involves an FX operation. Resolution 277 covers eFX providers from article 49 onward, which handle cross-border payments on behalf of clients, and since February 2, 2026, it also covers operations with virtual assets.
FX operations in Brazil carry IOF, a federal tax whose rate depends on the nature of the operation. Local taxes on the sale itself depend on the business model, so the tax setup deserves review with a Brazilian advisor before launch.
How does Transfero connect foreign companies to Brazilian payments?
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.
BRL collection and payouts 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 entering the Brazilian market
Which payment methods do your Brazilian customers expect at checkout?
Will you collect BRL, pay out BRL or both?
Does your provider explain how the FX leg follows Resolution 277?
How will installments affect your cash cycle if you accept cards?
How will you handle Pix returns under the MED?
Have you reviewed local taxes on your business model with a Brazilian advisor?
Talk to our team about payments in Brazil.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a local entity to accept payments in Brazil?
Not when you work through a provider. A provider in Brazil collects BRL on your behalf, handles the FX conversion and transfers the proceeds abroad. Your customers pay in reais with local methods, and your company receives the funds without opening a Brazilian entity or bank account.
Can foreigners use Pix?
To pay or receive directly, a person or company needs an account at an institution that participates in Pix, which usually requires Brazilian registration. Foreign companies reach Pix through a provider that collects and sends payments on their behalf, so their customers and recipients use Pix as usual.
What is a boleto?
A boleto is a payment slip with a barcode that the customer pays through a banking app, at a bank or at authorized outlets. Merchants issue it through a bank or payment provider. It settles in business days, so it suits invoices and customers who prefer not to use cards.
Why are installments so common in Brazil?
Paying in monthly installments, often without interest, became a standard way for Brazilian consumers to fit larger purchases into their budget. Merchants offer it to raise conversion, and acquirers let them receive in installments or advance the receivables. Foreign merchants selling by card should plan for it.
