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Record collection of the blusinhas tax grew 25% in 2026 and placed the government, Federal Revenue, Ministry of Finance, industry, retail, and consumers at the center of a dispute over low-value international purchases.
The blusinhas tax returned to the center of the economic debate in Brazil after federal collection hit a record in the first four months of 2026. According to the Federal Revenue Secretariat, the government collected R$ 1.78 billion in import tax on international orders between January and April.
The result represents a 25% increase compared to the same period in 2025, when collections totaled R$ 1.43 billion. Thus, the charge applied to international purchases of up to US$ 50 reached the highest value ever recorded for the period.
How the blusinhas tax became a billion-dollar charge
The charge officially began in August 2024, after approval by the National Congress and sanction by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. During that period, companies registered in the Remessa Conforme program lost their exemption for low-value orders.
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Ten states also raised the ICMS on these purchases to 20%, effective from April 2025. The measure arose after pressure from national industry, trade, and retail, which pointed out a tax difference between Brazilian and imported products sold on digital platforms.
Government is already discussing the future of the charge
The increase in collection did not end the controversy. Last week, the Minister of Finance, Dario Durigan, confirmed that the possible end of the blusinhas tax is under discussion within the government.
Durigan stated that some ministers advocate reviewing the charge. The minister also emphasized that the debate needs to be rational and that the Remessa Conforme program should be preserved due to the advances already achieved.
Consumers, in turn, criticize the tax because it makes popular products purchased on international platforms more expensive. Critics of the measure also point out a difference between those who buy online and tourists who bring products from abroad.
Industry and retail defend maintaining the tax
The productive sector maintains a favorable position regarding the charge. Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin, then Minister of Development, defended the tax as a way to protect the national industry from low-value products.
Representatives of industry, trade, and retail also released a manifesto for the permanence of the measure. According to the document, the tax reduced the tax disparity between international e-commerce platforms and Brazilian companies.
The manifesto also cites the segments of textiles, apparel, and footwear. According to sector representatives, these items have recorded the lowest inflation within the IPCA since July 1994, the beginning of the Plano Real.
Fiscal weight makes discussion even more sensitive
The blusinhas tax also gained importance for public accounts. In 2025, the Federal Revenue collected R$ 5 billion from this tax, setting an annual record.
In the first four months of 2026, revenue advanced to R$ 1.78 billion. The amount helps the economic team in its attempt to meet the year’s fiscal target, which forecasts a surplus of 0.25% of the Gross Domestic Product, around R$ 34.3 billion.
The fiscal framework, approved in 2023, allows a tolerance margin of 0.25 percentage point in relation to the central target. In practice, the target will be considered met with a zero balance or a surplus of up to R$ 68.6 billion.
The legislation also authorizes the removal of R$ 63.5 billion in expenses from this calculation, including expenses with precatórios. Even with these deductions, the official forecast points to a deficit close to R$ 60 billion in 2026.
Given this scenario, the discussion about the future of the ‘blusinhas’ tax ceased to be just a dispute over international purchases. The topic now involves revenue, competitiveness, national industry, retail, and the pockets of Brazilian consumers.
After all, will the government be able to review the ‘blusinhas’ tax without giving up billions in revenue and without increasing pressure on the national productive sector?
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