Instant payments built as public infrastructure.
Pix lets people and businesses in Brazil move money within seconds through participating banks and payment apps, without a fee for ordinary personal transfers.
Selection rationale
Why it was selected
Consumer payments become more useful when the network is broad, the basic transfer is inexpensive, and people do not need a separate app to participate. Pix is available through hundreds of existing financial institutions.
Banco Central do Brasil reported nearly 170 million users and more than 20 million businesses by Pix's fifth anniversary. The system processed 63 billion transactions worth BRL 26.4 trillion in 2024 and represented 47% of the country's non-cash payment transactions in the final quarter of that year.Banco Central: Pix at five yearsBanco Central 2024 payment statistics
The panel selected Pix for reach, zero-fee personal transfers, and regulator-defined controls such as transaction limits, precautionary blocking, and an in-app return process. The return mechanism improves recourse but cannot guarantee recovery when stolen funds are no longer available.Banco Central: Pix security
Reaches nearly 170 million people through roughly 900 participating institutions.
Processed 63 billion transactions during 2024.
Builds limits, fraud review, blocking, and return requests into the network rules.