Brazil defends Pix digital payment system amid US tariff dispute

Credit cards continue to be the primary payment method for Brazilian merchants, even as the instant‑payment platform Pix expands. A Sebrae‑cited survey shows small businesses consider card acceptance essential for sales, especially when offering installment plans, and view card‑terminal costs as a key factor in profitability.

Finance Minister Dario Durigan rejected the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) preliminary report that suggested applying a 25% surcharge on Brazilian imports because of Pix. Durigan said the USTR arguments “do not make sense,” emphasizing that Pix is a publicly‑available infrastructure that does not exclude foreign firms. The Brazilian Foreign Ministry echoed that Pix “expands the digital payments market and creates new entry points for private providers, including U.S. companies,” countering the claim that the system harms American interests.