[REVISION HISTORY]

Brazil premium-card market tightens rules, adds perks

Updated 10 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-03 01:10 UTC → 2026-09-09 11:33 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The Brazilian premium-card market continues to evolve through stricter eligibility criteria and tiered relationship programs. Banks are increasingly utilizing a “rating bancário” system—evaluating income, assets, and transaction history—to determine credit limits and eligibility for high-end products. This shift has seen annual fees for premium cards rise toward R$4,000, while ultra-high-income cards can exceed R$25,000, offering luxury perks like helicopter transfers. Itaú Unibanco has expanded its tiered “Minhas Vantagens” program, introducing Level 6 to provide access to the World Legend Mastercard and offshore advisory services. The bank is also preparing to launch the Personnalité ‘The Essential’ card as an intermediate tier between the Personnalité Black and high-end ‘The One’ cards. Under a relationship-based model, benefits for ‘The Essential’—including reward points, VIP lounge access, and annual fee structures—are expected to vary based on customer spending and overall bank relationship. Visa is actively targeting the high-income gap by expanding its premium offerings. Rodrigo Cury, President of Visa in Brazil, announced that the company is targeting the intermediate space between standard high-income cards and ultra-exclusive products. As part of this strategy, the Visa Infinite Private card—an evolution of the Visa Infinite Privilege—is designed for an extremely selective audience via bank invitation. Eligibility requires a declared monthly income of at least R$300,000 or assets of R$30 million. Santander has ~~already~~ begun a gradual rollout of this card via invitation to distinguish it from products like the Santander Unlimited, which follows more public criteria. In a significant structural shift, Santander and American Express have announced the end of their credit card issuance partnership in Brazil. This transition affects Gold, Platinum, and Centurion cards; Gold and Platinum cards will be blocked for new purchases in September, while the high-income Centurion card is set for cancellation in October.

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