Brazil’s payment system Pix will launch in the US after a partnership between PagBrasil and Verifone will make it available to US merchants.
Shoppers will be able to pay in Brazilian Reais (BRL) at the point-of-sale of US merchants who accept Pix, with a particular focus on extending the payment method to US tourists in states such as New York and Florida.
Pix is an instant payment system that has become the predominant payment method in Brazil, processing more than 6 billion transactions in March 2025 and has more than 168 million users across the globe due to the launch of Pix International.
Brazilians have taken to Pix due to its ability to send and receive payments instantly, 24/7 and does not require the manual entry of card details.
With PagBrasil’s Pix International offering, US customers will be able to make global, digital payments from the Pix International app which comes with real-time currency conversion.
Verifone gains the sole rights to offer international Pix payments in the US, enabling merchants to integrate Pix as a payment method at the point-of-sale existing alongside other payment systems.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Verifone to bring International Pix to US retail,” said Ralf Germer, Chief Executive Officer at PagBrasil.
“This collaboration doesn’t just expand Pix’s global footprint — it gives US merchants a powerful new way to capture spend from millions of Brazilian tourists, while offering shoppers the speed, security and simplicity they already trust at home. It’s a win-win for local stores and travelers alike.”
A timely introduction?
Pix entering the US market comes at a time of mass sports tourism, with the country recently hosting the FIFA Club World Cup and next year, co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to data from PagBrasil, recent travel trends from 2023-2024 reveal the number of Brazilians traveling to the US has risen by more than 17%, reaching 1.9 million visitors. Pix saw a 57% year-over-year growth in transaction volume and is used by over 160 million people – roughly 75% of Brazil’s population.
With many Brazilian football fans travelling to the US for the Club World Cup, and no doubt more for next year’s World Cup, both PagBrasil and Verifone are expecting Pix payments to-and-from Brazil to grow next year.
“This is a game-changer for US merchants in high-tourism markets like Florida and New York,” said Madhu Vasu, SVP Global Product Management at Verifone.
“Only Verifone can offer this capability at the point of sale today, giving merchants a powerful differentiator to attract and serve the 1.9 million Brazilian Tourists who spend more than $4.1bn annually in the US.”
US Gov. Pix probe
Pix’s arrival in the US also comes during an investigation into the Brazilian Central Bank digital payment offering.
On July 15, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) launched an investigation into Brazil’s trade policies, which named Pix as a potentially disadvantageous digital payment offering that may be discriminatory towards Americans.
As the US financial market still significantly relies on cards, Pix is the digital alternative that is rapidly removing their necessity in the US. The recent launch of Pix International by PagBrasil and Verifone could potentially set about a similar trend.
However, as previously mentioned, the Pix International offering is more geared towards tourists in the US, as opposed to Americans and while they can still utilise the payment method, Pix is more centred around tourists receiving and sending money across borders.
While the Trump Administration mulls over potential 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods, the USTR will contemplate the potential impact Pix may have on privacy and data security if the digital payment method begins to take on similar popularity of its native country.
