Pix has expanded to eight countries, and PagBrasil has announced plans to integrate the service with Portugal's MB Way.
Pix, the instant payment system operated by the Central Bank of Brazil, is now available in eight countries outside Brazil: Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, the US, Portugal, Spain, and France. The system, widely used as Brazil's primary domestic payment method, continues to expand abroad through partnerships between financial institutions, Brazilian fintechs, and authorised exchange companies.
Under the current model, a merchant that accepts Pix allows a customer holding a Brazilian bank account to pay by scanning a QR code through their bank's mobile application. In addition, the transaction amount, shown in the local currency, is converted automatically into Brazilian reais. According to the Brazilian federal government, the mechanism allows consumers to avoid the Tax on Financial Operations (IOF), which applies to international purchases made with credit cards.
European rollout and MB Way integration
Pix became available in Portugal at the end of 2024 and has since expanded across several retail sectors, including the Continente supermarket chain, El Corte Inglés shopping centre stores, footwear retailers, and pharmacies.
PagBrasil, a payment technology company specialising in online payment solutions, is preparing to integrate Pix with MB Way, Portugal's most widely adopted instant payment method. Unlike Pix, which is issued by a central bank, MB Way is operated by a private consortium and requires a bank card linked to an account. By the end of 2026, PagBrasil is expected to launch RoamingPay, a service connecting regional payment systems through QR codes. The service would allow Brazilian consumers in Portugal to pay via Pix or their home banking application, even when a merchant offers only MB Way or a domestic ATM-linked option.
US scrutiny amid tariff dispute
Pix's growth has drawn scrutiny from the US government. The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has stated, in a report, that the Brazilian system unfairly disadvantages American companies providing electronic payment services, naming Mastercard, Visa, and WhatsApp Pay. The USTR's findings were cited as one of the justifications for tariffs imposed on Brazil by the US administration.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has taken a different view, describing Pix as one of the main drivers behind the transformation of Brazil's financial system.
Pix's continued expansion into European markets, together with the planned MB Way integration, reflects an effort by Brazilian payment infrastructure providers to support cross-border transactions for the country's diaspora, at a time when the system faces political pressure from Washington.
