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The Central Bank’s measure is part of the Foreign Exchange Legal Framework and comes into effect on October 1, 2026. The rule applies to companies, not individuals, and does not change the prohibition of paying in dollars in daily life nor does it affect the exchange rate.
On June 18, 2026, the Central Bank announced new rules that expand access to foreign currency accounts in Brazil, allowing dollars and euros for exporters and companies with foreign debt or capital. The information was released by g1, and the measure waives the foreign exchange operation in some transfers, effective from October 2026.
The change is part of a broader modernization of the Brazilian foreign exchange market. According to the Central Bank, the measure is part of the regulation of the Foreign Exchange Legal Framework and aims to facilitate international operations and reduce costs, but it comes with clear limits: it does not change the prohibition of using dollars and euros in daily payments within the country, does not interfere with the exchange rate, and applies to companies, not individuals. The new rules come into effect on October 1, 2026, by which time banks must adapt their systems.
Who can have foreign currency accounts
Today, this type of account is restricted to a few groups in the country. Currently, only financial institutions, embassies, and companies in specific sectors can maintain foreign currency accounts, and it is precisely this access that the Central Bank has decided to expand.
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The new list of authorized entities is aimed at those doing international business. Companies that export products to other countries, those with loans or debts contracted abroad, those with foreign investor participation, and foreign legal entities conducting credit operations or direct investments in the country will be able to have these accounts. It is worth noting that the change applies to companies and legal entities, not individuals, and according to the Central Bank, the expansion accompanies the growth of commercial and financial relations between Brazil and other countries.
What changes in practice and the end of foreign exchange in some transfers
In practice, more companies will be able to hold dollars and euros in accounts opened in Brazil. The Central Bank’s measure will allow companies involved in international business to keep resources in foreign currencies within the country, under the regulation of the Foreign Exchange Legal Framework.
Another innovation promises to simplify and reduce the cost of some operations. Some fund transfers between these accounts can be made without the need to contract a foreign exchange operation, which tends to make the process simpler and cheaper. The new rules will take effect on October 1, 2026, and until then, banks and other institutions authorized to operate in the foreign exchange market will have time to adapt their systems.
The possible benefits pointed out by the Central Bank
The regulatory body lists a series of expected gains with the change. According to the Central Bank, the new rules can bring benefits such as easier management of resources received or sent abroad and better management of exchange rate fluctuations for companies operating outside the country.
The list of potential advantages goes beyond resource management. It also includes cost reduction in international operations, increased competitiveness of companies doing business with other countries, and attracting financial operations to Brazil that are currently carried out abroad. These are expectations presented by the regulator itself, linked to the proposal to modernize the foreign exchange market.
What does not change and the control rules
Despite the expansion, the Central Bank reinforced important limits. The change does not alter the prohibition of using foreign currencies, such as the dollar and euro, for everyday payments within Brazil, and it also does not interfere with the exchange rate, two points that often cause confusion among readers.
The use of these accounts will remain subject to rules and controls. In the case of exporting companies, for example, the funds maintained in the accounts must be related to export activities and other movements permitted by regulation, while external credit and foreign investment operations must follow the rules already required by the Central Bank for this type of transaction.
With the new rules, the Central Bank expands access to foreign currency accounts in Brazil and modernizes the foreign exchange market for companies engaged in international trade, allowing the storage of dollars and euros in accounts opened in the country and dispensing with the foreign exchange operation in some transfers, starting October 1, 2026, according to g1.
The measure, part of the Foreign Exchange Legal Framework, can reduce costs and increase competitiveness, according to the Central Bank’s assessment, but it brings clear limits: it does not authorize payments in foreign currency in everyday life, does not affect the exchange rate, applies to companies and not to individuals, and keeps the accounts under control. The change accompanies the growth of Brazil’s commercial and financial relations with the outside world, and its practical effects will depend on how banks implement it by the deadline.
And you, what do you think about the expansion of dollar and euro accounts in Brazil? Do you believe the measure can help Brazilian companies that trade with the outside world? Share your opinion and exchange ideas with other readers about foreign exchange and economy, with respect for different opinions.
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