Companies that need to pay contractors brazil teams from abroad run into the same wall: the money is ready, but the local rails are not. The Banco Central do Brasil says Pix moves money between accounts in seconds, at any hour and on any day.
The scale of that system is hard to ignore. Brazilians made 79.8 billion Pix transactions in 2025, worth R$35.3 trillion, according to the Banco Central do Brasil (BCB).
A Pix payout lands as reais in the recipient’s account. This guide explains how stablecoins can sit behind that experience.
Why Companies Work with Contractors and Freelancers in Brazil
Brazil is a large, trade-heavy economy. Brazil exported US$348.7 billion and imported US$280.4 billion in 2025, so suppliers, agencies and contractors there expect fast local payments.
Goods trade reached about US$629 billion in 2025.
Crypto rails have already become part of the picture. Chainalysis reports US$318.8 billion in crypto value received in Brazil from July 2024 to June 2025, with over 90% of flows tied to stablecoins.
What Contractors in Brazil Expect from a Payment
Payouts in Brazil arrive in reais on the domestic rails.
Pix
Pix is the default. In December 2025, 148 million people and 12.8 million companies made or received at least one Pix.
Pix addresses work through keys. The BCB recognizes five key types: mobile phone, email, CPF, CNPJ and a random key.
Key formats have rules. The BCB’s DICT manual says phone keys use the international E.164 format, and email keys can run to 77 characters.
Bank transfer (TED)
TED runs on business days. Brazilian banks move TED on business days, as iDinheiro’s bank-by-bank table shows.
TED is strict about identity. Central bank rules require a TED to carry the recipient’s CPF or CNPJ and a name consistent with it.
What is gone
Older rails are closed. Brazilian banks shut down DOC and TEC transfers for good on February 29, 2024, per g1. Any payment process still built around them is out of date.
The Challenges When You Pay Contractors in Brazil from Abroad
Cross-border cost adds up. Sending small amounts across borders costs an average of 6.36% of the amount sent, according to the World Bank. On a monthly contractor invoice, that is a real line item.
Local rails are not designed for foreign senders. A licensed local payout partner can pay the recipient on the domestic rails, which foreign senders cannot reach directly.
Identifier errors cause returns. Manual entry of the recipient’s tax ID, branch and account number started 12% of all Pix transactions in 2025, according to the Banco Central do Brasil (BCB).
The rules for stablecoin payments have tightened. Since February 2, 2026, international payments with virtual assets fall under Brazil’s foreign exchange rules, per the BCB.
How to Pay Contractors in Brazil with Stablecoins on Yativo
Yativo lets you fund a float balance with USDC or fiat, lock a quote in reais, and have a licensed local payout partner pay the recipient on the domestic rails. The recipient never needs a crypto wallet and receives a normal local credit, in reais, from a local institution. For a broader look at the model, see our guide to stablecoin payouts to Brazil.
- Fund your float balance. Top up with USDC or with fiat. The balance is ready for payouts.
- Request a quote in reais for the payout. Confirm only after the number matches what you budgeted.
- Confirm the payout. Yativo routes the instruction to a licensed local payout partner, which pays the contractor locally by Pix or bank transfer.
- Reconcile settlement. Keep records so you can match each payout to the invoice.
For a rail-level walkthrough, read our guide to Brazil Pix payouts or Brazil bank transfer payouts.
Yativo’s active gateways for Brazil cover Pix payouts in under 30 minutes, banking-hours bank transfers and next-day SWIFT options. Gateways marked POBO require a POBO endorsement on the account before use.
| Gateway | ID | Settlement |
| Pix | 494 | Under 30 minutes |
| Pay with QR (Pix QR) | 903 | Under 30 minutes |
| Pix Offramp | 897 | Under 30 minutes |
| Pix Withdrawal | 1276 | Under 30 minutes |
| Bank Transfer | 495 | Banking hours only |
| Bank Transfer Offramp | 898 | Banking hours only |
| POBO (Local) | 1049 | T+1 (next business day) |
| SWIFT (POBO) | 1106 | T+1 (next business day) |
| SWIFT (USD) | 547 | T+1 (next business day) |
These are the active gateways in Yativo’s catalog today. Always read the live list from the payout-methods endpoint before you route a payment.
Any gateway with POBO in its name requires a POBO endorsement on your account.
Your recipient does not need a crypto wallet. They never see or touch stablecoins. On their side, the payment looks like a normal local transfer.
How to Send Stablecoin Payouts to Brazil with Yativo
Option 1: Dashboard (for manual payouts)
- Fund your Yativo float balance with either a fiat or a stablecoin deposit, such as USDC.
- Go to Transfer in your Yativo dashboard.
- Select the float wallet you are paying with, for example USD, EUR, MXN or whichever balance you funded.
- Choose the customer you are paying on behalf of. This step is necessary for fintechs that run payouts on behalf of their customers.
- Choose Brazil as the destination and Pix as the payout method.
- Enter the recipient details the payout form asks for, such as the Pix key and the CPF or CNPJ.
- Enter the amount in USD or BRL.
- Review the quote: exchange rate, fees, delivery time and the exact BRL amount your recipient receives.
- Confirm with your PIN and 2FA.
- Track the payout in real time and download the receipt for your records.
Option 2: API (for automated and bulk payouts)
Every endpoint below is in the Yativo API documentation. Production calls go to https://api.yativo.com/api/v1, and the sandbox runs at https://smtp.yativo.com/api/v1.
Authenticate every request with the X-Api-Key and X-Api-Secret headers. Each key only works from the server IPs listed on it. These keys replaced bearer tokens, as covered in our October update. Every POST also needs a unique Idempotency-Key header.
Step 1. Generate a USDC deposit address on Solana to fund your balance:
POST https://api.yativo.com/api/v1/crypto/create-wallet
X-Api-Key: $YATIVO_API_KEY
X-Api-Secret: $YATIVO_API_SECRET
Idempotency-Key: 9bb30084-7da3-51c5-a131-082ef5aa158e
Content-Type: application/json
{
"currency": "USDC_SOL"
}Step 2. List the payout methods available for Brazil:
curl "https://api.yativo.com/api/v1/payment-methods/payout?country=BRA" \
-H "X-Api-Key: $YATIVO_API_KEY" \
-H "X-Api-Secret: $YATIVO_API_SECRET" \
-H "Accept: application/json"In this example, Pix carries gateway ID 494. Always read the ID from the live response instead of hardcoding it.
Step 3. Fetch the required fields for that gateway:
GET https://api.yativo.com/api/v1/beneficiary/form/show/494
X-Api-Key: $YATIVO_API_KEY
X-Api-Secret: $YATIVO_API_SECRETThe response lists every required field and its accepted values. Build your payment_data object from it. For field details, see API documentation.
Step 4. Create the beneficiary. Replace the placeholder with the fields the form returned:
POST https://api.yativo.com/api/v1/beneficiaries/payment-methods/
X-Api-Key: $YATIVO_API_KEY
X-Api-Secret: $YATIVO_API_SECRET
Idempotency-Key: a8e78457-b1db-5a67-bb04-56bfd44c4764
Content-Type: application/json
{
"gateway_id": 494,
"nickname": "Sao Paulo design studio",
"currency": "BRL",
"customer_id": "e8caa491-57b6-4c39-9e3a-d2c97e47fbf0",
"payment_data": {
"{field_from_form}": "{value}"
}
}Step 5. Lock your BRL rate. Quotes hold for 5 minutes:
POST https://api.yativo.com/api/v1/exchange-rate
X-Api-Key: $YATIVO_API_KEY
X-Api-Secret: $YATIVO_API_SECRET
Idempotency-Key: 334aea03-8da6-5055-9880-b584c0070a6e
Content-Type: application/json
{
"from_currency": "USD",
"to_currency": "BRL",
"method_id": 494,
"method_type": "payout",
"amount": 500
}Step 6. Initiate the payout from your balance:
POST https://api.yativo.com/api/v1/wallet/payout
X-Api-Key: $YATIVO_API_KEY
X-Api-Secret: $YATIVO_API_SECRET
Idempotency-Key: 11ca0501-08dc-5182-b51f-5be0d61f9b1d
Content-Type: application/json
{
"debit_wallet": "USD",
"amount": 500,
"payment_method_id": 48324,
"customer_id": "e8caa491-57b6-4c39-9e3a-d2c97e47fbf0",
"quote_id": "4a72ecf8-6c8a-4e38-9971-8aabe9f785ed"
}Use the id from the beneficiary response as payment_method_id. For bulk runs, repeat the call per beneficiary, as described on our payouts page.
Comparing Ways to Pay Contractors in Brazil
| Method | Speed to recipient | Currency the contractor receives | Identifier handling | Best fit |
| Yativo local payout | Pix gateways settle in under 30 minutes; bank transfer gateways during banking hours only; SWIFT gateways T+1 (next business day) | BRL, paid locally | Collected once at onboarding, reused per payout | Recurring contractor runs with predictable volume |
| International wire | Timing depends on the sending and receiving banks | Local credit after bank processing | Collected before the first payout | Situations where a bank-to-bank route is required |
| Exchange withdrawal | Timing depends on the provider | Local credit after processing | Collected in the exchange account | Teams already operating an exchange account |
| Global payroll platform | Timing depends on the provider | Local credit after processing | Stored in the platform profile | Teams that already run payroll through a platform |
Best Practices for Paying Contractors in Brazil
Collect identifiers at onboarding. Ask for the Pix key type, the CPF or CNPJ, the full legal name and the bank details before the first invoice. Store them once and reuse them. Manual entry of the recipient’s tax ID, branch and account number started 12% of all Pix transactions in 2025, according to the Banco Central do Brasil.
Agree on the payout currency in the contract. State whether the contractor is paid in BRL and who bears the conversion. Clear terms help both sides plan.
Batch on a fixed schedule. Group invoices into one run, for example weekly or twice monthly. A fixed schedule keeps the payout calendar predictable.
Quote before confirming. Request the quote, check it against the approved budget, then confirm. The quote shows the rate, fees, delivery time and exact local amount, and it holds for 5 minutes.
Keep reconciliation records. Store the payout reference, the quote, the settled amount and the local rail used. Payouts can be tracked in the dashboard or API.
Keep classification and tax duties with your advisors. How a contractor is classified, and what tax applies, stays with your company and its advisors.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast does a Pix payout reach a contractor in Brazil?
Pix payouts through Yativo’s Pix gateways, including Pix, Pay with QR, Pix Offramp and Pix Withdrawal, settle in under 30 minutes. The BCB says Pix moves money between accounts in seconds, at any hour and on any day.
What Pix key types can a contractor give me?
The BCB recognizes five key types: mobile phone, email, CPF, CNPJ and a random key. Phone keys use the international E.164 format, and email keys can run to 77 characters.
When do bank transfer payouts settle in Brazil?
Bank transfer gateways move money only during Brazilian banking hours, on business days. SWIFT (USD) settles T+1 (next business day).
Can I still pay a contractor by DOC or TEC?
No. Brazilian banks shut down DOC and TEC transfers for good on February 29, 2024, per g1. Use Pix or a bank transfer instead.
Does my recipient need a crypto wallet?
No. Your recipient gets a normal local credit in their usual account or wallet. They never touch stablecoins, and the payment looks like any other domestic transfer.
Is paying out this way legal and compliant?
Yes, when it runs through regulated infrastructure. Yativo is registered with FinCEN as a Money Services Business, registration number 31000270723339. A licensed local payout partner handles the local leg. Your own tax and reporting duties still apply, so confirm them with your advisor.
How long does a quote last?
Quotes from the exchange-rate endpoint hold for 5 minutes. You see the rate, the fees and the exact amount your recipient gets before you confirm.
Start Paying Contractors in Brazil with Yativo
Fund a float with USDC or fiat, quote in reais, and let a licensed local payout partner deliver a normal local credit to your contractor. Your team keeps reconciliation records, and your contractor receives reais on the domestic rails. Book a demo to set up your first payout, or contact sales if you already know your monthly volume.
Sources
- g1: Balança comercial brasileira 2025
- Época Negócios: BC projeta novidades do Pix para os próximos anos
- Banco Central do Brasil: Pix
- BCB: Manual Operacional do DICT
- BCB: Relatório de Gestão do Pix
- BCB (via Poder360): Banco Central regulamenta o uso de ativos virtuais
- Chainalysis: Latin America Emerges as a Crypto Powerhouse
- idinheiro.com.br: IDinheiro’s bank-by-bank table
- normasbrasil.com.br: Recipient’s CPF or CNPJ and a name consistent with it
- g1.globo.com: Shut down DOC and TEC transfers for good on February 29, 2024
- remittanceprices.worldbank.org: World Bank