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Trump Opened Investigation Against Brazil and Put Pix at the Center of the Global Dispute, Highlighting Political, Economic, and Technological Impact
It’s not just the tariff that makes Donald Trump turn his eyes to Brazil. The President of the United States opened an investigation into trade practices he considers harmful to American companies. In this process, he included a technology with Brazilian DNA: Pix.
The instant payment system created by the Central Bank revolutionized the national market and captured the world’s attention.
Today, according to official data, 93% of the adult population in Brazil already uses Pix in their daily lives. The scale achieved by the method, in a short time, has turned it into a global reference.
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Success and Impact of Pix
Sebastian Fantini, product director at Ebanx, assesses that Pix has features that make it unique. The executive participated in the “Deu Tilt” podcast by UOL and highlighted that the foundation of its success lies in the free, easy-to-use model available at any time.
According to him, this was crucial for including over 70 million Brazilians in the banking system. Fantini recalls that Ebanx, a unicorn valued at over US$ 1 billion, operates in 20 countries and follows the international search for similar models. So far, no other country has achieved the same success.
The most important aspect is that Pix is born digital, with a strong focus on person-to-person transfers. But it has also expanded to businesses: today, 42% of operations are from individuals to companies.
Complaints from Big Techs
Success, however, has brought resistance. Companies that offer other payment methods see Pix as a threat.
Meta already felt this when WhatsApp Pay was suspended in 2020 by the Central Bank and the antitrust agency, a measure that ended up favoring the use of Pix.
More recently, it was the turn of ITI, a council representing big techs and credit card brands, to complain to the USTR, the U.S. agency conducting the investigation opened by Trump.
Despite the criticism, Fantini defends that Pix does not replace cards, invoices, or transfers. In his view, the technology complements the payment ecosystem.
Different Modalities
Currently, Pix allows transactions across various fronts. Operations can be made from person to person, from person to business, from business to business (B2B), and also from businesses or individuals to the government (B2G).
Fantini emphasizes that the Central Bank was essential in structuring the technology in a robust, secure, and accessible manner.
For him, the user experience designed from the start, without intermediaries, was decisive in achieving agility.
Comparison with Other Systems
One of the standout points is speed. A transaction via Pix takes up to 10 seconds. In the Swift system, used for international transfers, operations can be expensive and time-consuming. This explains the interest of other countries in better understanding the Brazilian model.
Colombia, for example, created Bre-B, considered the “local Pix.” The proposal is to stimulate instant payments, reduce the use of cash, and broaden access to the financial system.
Therefore, Pix is at the center of a global trend. For Fantini, the next step will be interoperability among systems, allowing international transfers to also become instant.
Constant Evolution
Since its launch in 2020, Pix has not stopped evolving. The method has gained features that further enhance its relevance in the daily lives of Brazilians.
The most recent innovation is automatic Pix, created to facilitate recurring payments, such as utility bills, monthly fees, and subscriptions.
Unlike debit authorizations, which vary from bank to bank, automatic Pix is standardized and more transparent.
According to Fantini, the user has total control over the process. The company sends a request for authorization with defined amount, frequency, and limits. At any time, the consumer can cancel the charge.
An Expanding Technology
The expansion of Pix shows how a national initiative can influence the global landscape. In Brazil, the massive adoption by the population has consolidated the method as part of daily life.
Abroad, the growing interest indicates that other nations are looking to follow the same path.
Moreover, the investigation opened by Trump reinforces the political and economic weight of the Brazilian system. The debate extends beyond finance, reaching international trade and the competition among different technological models.
In the meantime, Pix continues to grow. Its simplicity, speed, and reach have already changed how millions of Brazilians handle money.
And, with the world’s watchful eye, the technology may become a definitive reference for future payments.
With information from UOL.
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