Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
5 min of reading 
0 comments 
New bilateral fund between BNDES and the Export-Import Bank of China will have mainly in reais operations, structured to begin in 2026 and targets strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy, such as energy transition, infrastructure, agriculture, mining, and artificial intelligence.
Brazil has taken another significant step in its economic rapprochement with China. The banks BNDES and the Export-Import Bank of China, CEXIM, have agreed to create a new investment fund of up to US$ 1 billion aimed at strategic projects in the country. The initiative combines Brazilian and Chinese capital in an unprecedented structure, focusing on areas considered crucial for economic growth in the coming years.
The design of the fund already draws attention for its size and symbolism. BNDES will contribute US$ 400 million, while the Chinese bank will contribute US$ 600 million. According to the announcement, the vehicle will primarily operate through investments denominated in reais and will target debt securities and equity stakes in the Brazilian market.
Fund born with a focus on sectors that drive the new economy
The new structure was designed to target areas that concentrate a significant part of the global competition for capital and technology. Among the highlighted segments are energy transition, infrastructure, mining, agriculture, and artificial intelligence. In other words, the fund is born precisely targeting the sectors that Brazil is trying to strengthen to gain scale, productivity, and strategic position in the international scenario.
-
INSS confirms the 2026 13th salary calendar, but excludes thousands of elderly from payment; find out now who is left out and how to check by CPF.
-
Even facing a shortage of professionals, the construction industry generated 31,099 formal jobs in February, once again driving the labor market in Brazil and showing that it still fuels the economy.
-
IR 2026 will affect those who have crypto: the Revenue Service receives monthly data, pre-filled forms pull even cashback from Mercado Pago, and exchanging Bitcoin for USDT becomes a taxable sale; declare correctly or fall into scrutiny.
-
In Paraná, long-life milk prices rise by 17% and powdered milk by nearly 9%, but producers still receive R$ 2.10 while the market charges R$ 7; middlemen keep the difference and are awaiting a price adjustment.
The movement also shows that cooperation between Brazil and China is no longer restricted to traditional trade. Now, the relationship is advancing more robustly in financing, capital markets, and long-term investments in high-impact sectors.
First bilateral fund of its kind between Brazilian and Chinese institution
One of the strongest points of the announcement was highlighted by the director of Planning and Institutional Relations at BNDES, Nelson Barbosa. According to him, this is the first bilateral fund between a Brazilian institution and a Chinese one with operations primarily conducted through investments in reais. This detail is relevant because it reduces direct dependence on fully dollarized structures and gives the instrument a characteristic more aligned with the local market.
In practice, this reinforces the attempt to create a more solid bridge between international capital and Brazilian assets without relying solely on traditional external credit models. The fund, therefore, is not just another agreement. It emerges as a financial milestone within the rapprochement between the two countries.
Brazil and China deepen relationship in a new strategic front
The creation of the fund does not happen in isolation. In recent months, BNDES has expanded its agenda with Chinese and Asian financial institutions. In February 2025, the Brazilian bank and CEXIM had already signed a memorandum to deepen co-investment opportunities between Brazil and China. Later, new letters of intent and agreements with Asian banks reinforced this line of cooperation.
This helps to understand why this new US$ 1 billion fund is treated as an important piece within a larger movement. Brazil seeks to expand funding sources for infrastructure, green economy, industry, and innovation. China, in turn, is increasing its presence in strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy through more sophisticated instruments than simple buying and selling of products.
Operation in 2026 should strengthen the capital market in Brazil
According to BNDES, the fund will be structured to finance investments in the Brazilian capital market and is expected to start operating in 2026. This means that the money will not be directed solely to traditional loans but also to financial instruments and stakes that can expand the reach of capital in strategic projects.
This format is also aligned with BNDES’s own actions in investment funds. The bank states that this type of instrument allows reaching a larger number of companies and has a catalytic effect, attracting other private investors to projects considered relevant.
Energy, agriculture, mining, and AI enter the center of the capital competition
The chosen sectors help explain the political and economic weight of the initiative. Energy transition and infrastructure are areas where Brazil is trying to accelerate long-term projects. Agriculture and mining remain central to the country’s productive and export base. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence symbolizes the attempt to connect bilateral investment to an agenda of innovation and technology that currently attracts a significant amount of global attention.
This combination shows that the fund is not born solely looking at the present. It has been designed to operate in areas that are expected to concentrate competition for financing, productivity, and economic influence in the coming years.
Billion-dollar fund increases Chinese weight in the Brazilian economy
The new partnership reinforces a trend that has already been taking shape. China is no longer just Brazil’s main trading partner in various fronts. It is also gaining an increasing presence as a source of financing, co-investment, and participation in structuring projects of the Brazilian economy. The new US$ 1 billion fund elevates this relationship to another level.
By bringing together capital from BNDES and a large Chinese state bank, the initiative strengthens commercial and financial ties at the same time. And this happens precisely at a moment when Brazil is trying to increase productive investment, accelerate works, boost the green economy, and attract resources for higher strategic value sectors.
Banks BNDES and CEXIM put Brazil on the radar of a new phase of investments
The announcement of the new bilateral fund shows that the relationship between Brazil and China is entering a more sophisticated phase. Instead of relying solely on the trade of commodities and manufactured goods, both sides are beginning to structure financial instruments aimed at key sectors of Brazil’s economic future.
If the operation comes to fruition as planned in 2026, the fund could become one of the main showcases of this new stage. And the message has already been sent: Brazil and China want to transform economic cooperation into heavy investment, strategic presence, and direct influence over the sectors that will shape the next decade.
If you believe that this new alliance between BNDES and China could change the pace of investments in Brazil, leave your comment and share this publication.
Seja o primeiro a reagir!