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New Resolution of the BC and Adjustment of the CMN Expand Hypotheses to Close Deposit and Payment Accounts Used Improperly. Measure Targets “Bulk Accounts” and Enters into Force on December 1, 2025, After Investigations That Pointed to R$ 46 Billion Moved Via Fintech Linked to the PCC.
The Central Bank published on this Monday, November 3, 2025, rules that expand the hypotheses for compulsory closure of deposit and payment accounts when there are signs of misuse for financial services without legal backing.
The declared objective is to eliminate the so-called irregular “bulk accounts” and reinforce mechanisms to prevent money laundering and fraud.
The changes are included in Resolution BCB No. 518/2025, which amends Resolution BCB 96/2021, and Resolution CMN No. 5.261/2025, which adjusts the rules for opening, maintaining, and closing deposit accounts.
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The texts state that institutions must close accounts in which irregular provision of financial or payment services is verified, including based on data from public or private databases, and maintain documentation for 10 years.
The recent trigger for regulatory tightening was Operation Hidden Carbon. According to the Federal Revenue, a fintech used as a “parallel bank” moved over R$ 46 billion (2020–2024) in a scheme associated with PCC, using bulk accounts to hide beneficiaries and evade traceability.
Agência Brasil, CNN Brasil, and other outlets confirm that the new rules become effective on December 1, 2025 and explicitly target the closure of accounts used for payments, receipts, or compensations on behalf of third parties in order to conceal or substitute obligations.
What Changes with the New Resolutions of the BC and CMN
Resolution BCB No. 518 adds provisions to the payment accounts rule: the institution must close the account when it finds (i) serious irregularities in the information of the account holder or (ii) provision, by the client, of financial services without legal provision.
The text lists as a hypothesis the movement to third parties that impedes the identification of the true beneficiary.
The BC also authorizes the use of its own criteria and consultation to public or private databases to identify irregularities, provided that documented and approved by management. The documentation of criteria and closures must be available to the BC for at least 10 years.
Meanwhile, Resolution CMN No. 5.261 adjusts the norm for deposit accounts to align closure procedures and hypotheses, reinforcing the convergence between traditional bank accounts and payment accounts in combating money laundering.
Why “Bulk Accounts” Entered the Radar
“Bulk Account” is the arrangement in which a fintech concentrates resources from multiple clients into a single account in a bank, making payments and receipts on behalf of third parties, which makes traceability difficult. The BC makes it clear that the practice is irregular when it substitutes obligations of third parties and hides who the true holders are.
The Federal Revenue details that, in the investigated case, the fintech operated as a “parallel bank”, even receiving cash deposits, something incompatible with the nature of a payment institution.
The volume identified, R$ 46 billion between 2020 and 2024 and the chain use by companies in the fuel sector illustrate the systemic impact.
Reports from CNN Brasil describe the use of bulk accounts at BK Bank, indicated by investigations of MPSP as a tool to break the real financial flow between payers and receivers, reducing visibility for oversight bodies.
In mentioning the operation, sources such as InfoMoney and Poder360 explicitly relate the new BC rules to the need to curb this mechanism, previously used by criminal factions to launder money.
When Does It Take Effect and How Institutions Should Act
The measures take effect on December 1, 2025, with immediate application for new occurrences. Institutions must document criteria, monitor clients, and notify closures, maintaining evidence for subsequent oversight.
The BC advises that banks and payment institutions adopt controls capable of identifying irregular provision of financial services by clients, including from reliable external data. The responsibility for detection, closure, and archiving evidence lies with the institution.
The official communication emphasizes that the focus is on integrity of the National Financial System and security of the Brazilian Payment System, without suppressing legitimate innovations, as long as they are regulated and identifiable.
Impacts for Clients, Fintechs, and Banks
For the individual or corporate client, the main change is the risk of account closure when there are signs that it is being used to mediate payments for third parties outside of regulation. Transactions must be in the name of those who pay and receive, with an audit trail.
For fintechs, the rule requires a review of governance, compliance, and resource segregation, with clear processes for KYC, transaction monitoring, and segregation by holder. The trend, according to Agência Brasil and CNN, is for greater rigor and traceability, reducing space for opaque structures.
For banks, the obligation to close accounts operated in violation of the rule and to keep evidence for 10 years increases, requiring integration of analytics and external databases for continuous due diligence.
On the sectoral level, analysts consulted by the press see a short adjustment period and long-term benefits in regulatory security, with higher compliance costs for players with more informal models.
Do you think the new rules protect the system or could close accounts of those using legitimate marketplace and reconciliation solutions? In your opinion, was the BC too harsh or did it get it just right? Leave your comment.
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