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Brazil central bank explores Pix links to cut cross-border payment costs
Brazil says Pix cross-border integration could lower costs and speed transactions, as U.S. trade scrutiny helped drive 25% tariffs on Brazilian imports.
Brazil's central bank said it is assessing how to connect its instant payments system Pix with similar platforms abroad, stepping up efforts toward cross-border integration amid scrutiny from the United States, according to Reuters.
In a report on Pix, the central bank argued that linking instant payment systems could reduce cross-border payment costs, accelerate transactions, expand access, and improve transparency, with authorities discussing both bilateral connections and participation in multilateral payment hubs.
The bank said it has signed information-sharing agreements on Pix with 65 foreign counterparts, spanning countries including Germany and Canada, as well as South Africa and Turkey.
Pix dominates electronic payments in Brazil, enabling real-time transfers through banking apps, and its use has accelerated since its launch in late 2020, Reuters reported, with transactions rising 25.7% in 2025 to nearly 80 billion and volumes exceeding 35 trillion reais, while consumer-to-business payments made up 43% of all Pix transactions last year.
The report also comes as Pix has been cited by the U.S. government in connection with a trade investigation that supported new 25% tariffs on Brazilian imports, after concerns were raised that the central bank both operates and regulates the system.