Brazil sees surge in everyday credit‑card use and launch of new premium World Legend cards

A March 2024 survey commissioned by the Brazilian Association of Credit Card Companies (Abecs) and conducted by Datafolha found that 77% of credit‑card users now pay with cards at supermarkets, a rise of seven percentage points since December 2025. Usage is also high in pharmacies (57%) and gas stations (33%). Consumers employ cards across four main retail categories, with garments accounting for 39% of purchases, electronics 28% and tourism/entertainment 12%, reflecting the card’s growing role in daily budgeting, installment options, rewards and consumer‑protection services.

At the same time, the premium credit‑card market in Brazil expands with the introduction of the BTG Ultrablue World Legend card by BTG Pactual. Positioned in Mastercard’s World Legend elite tier for high‑net‑worth clients, the new card offers 4.5 points per US$ spent domestically, 5 points abroad, and eliminates the 3.5% IOF tax on international purchases. It joins other top‑tier products such as C6 Graphene, Itaú Personnalité and Itaú Private, providing benefits that include unlimited lounge access, concierge services, expanded travel insurance and exclusive dining experiences.