Pix, cards and cash: money in Brazil for foreigners

Brazil’s currency is the real (BRL, written R$). US$1 bought R$ 5.08 on October 16, 2026, at the Banco Central PTAX selling rate. Pix, the instant payment system the Banco Central created in 2020, needs a Brazilian account. Plan to pay with a foreign card in cities and carry cash for small towns.

Money in Brazil works differently from most of the US or UK. Card machines are everywhere in cities, but locals increasingly pay each other by Pix, and some small sellers take nothing else. Restaurants add a service charge to the bill. ATM safety matters. This guide covers the exchange rate, where cards work, how Pix works for foreigners, ATMs, cash, tipping, tax on card spending and the common payment scams.

The real and the exchange rate

The Banco Central PTAX selling rate was R$ 5.0826 per US$1 on October 16, 2026. That week it moved between R$ 5.01 and R$ 5.08. Every conversion on this page uses R$ 5.08, written as “checked Oct 2026”.

So R$ 100 is about US$20 (checked Oct 2026), and R$ 500 is about US$98 (checked Oct 2026).

Brazilian prices use a comma for decimals and a period for thousands. R$ 1.250,50 means one thousand two hundred fifty reais and fifty centavos. Notes come in R$ 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200.

Customs rules apply to cash. Amounts over US$10,000 must be declared on entry and on exit.

Where cards work

Credit and debit cards, especially Visa and Mastercard, are widely accepted in hotels, larger restaurants and shops. Smaller vendors and rural areas may take only cash or Pix. Away from cities, ask before you order.

Businesses must tell you in advance which payment methods they accept, such as cards, meal vouchers or Pix. If a sign says “só Pix” (Pix only) or “só dinheiro” (cash only), believe it.

Your home bank sets the foreign transaction fee on a US or UK card. Check it before you fly. A card with no foreign fee saves money on every purchase. When a card machine offers to charge you in dollars or pounds, choose reais. The machine’s own conversion rate is usually worse than your bank’s.

Contactless payment by card or phone wallet works on most modern machines in cities. In restaurants, staff usually bring the machine to your table.

Pix: what it is and who can use it

Pix is Brazil’s instant payment system. The Banco Central do Brasil created it with Resolução BCB nº 1 of August 12, 2020, published in the Diário Oficial on August 13, 2020.

Each Pix key (a phone number, email, CPF or random key) points to a “transactional account.” The resolution defines that as a checking, savings or prepaid payment account at an institution that takes part in Pix. No Brazilian account means no Pix of your own.

You have three real options in 2026.

1. Get a CPF and a Brazilian account. The CPF is Brazil’s individual taxpayer number. Foreigners can register, living in Brazil or abroad, and registration costs nothing. If your only ID is a passport, you must apply in person at a Receita Federal unit in Brazil. From abroad, you apply at a Brazilian consulate. A CPF does not open an account by itself. Each bank decides whether to open accounts for non-resident foreigners, so ask several, and expect digital banks and residents’ accounts to have different rules. See opening a bank account as a foreigner for the process.

2. Use an app that pays Pix QR codes for you. Wise lets you pay Pix QR codes from the Wise app while you are in Brazil. Payments settle in reais and cover goods and services only. Each one is capped at R$ 10,000 (about US$1,970, checked Oct 2026). Eligibility depends on the country where your account is held, so open the Wise app and look for the Pix option before you travel. Other apps advertise similar services; read their terms and fees first.

3. Pay by card where there is a machine. Ask “aceita cartão?” (do you take cards?) before you order.

Pix also appears in crime reports. In express kidnappings, criminals force victims to withdraw cash or transfer funds through banking apps, most often by Pix. Keep transfer limits low on any Brazilian banking app you open, especially for night-time transfers.

ATMs

Use ATMs in secure places such as shopping malls, major hotels or airports. Criminal groups target people seen withdrawing money or leaving banks, so avoid street-facing machines, especially at night.

Card cloning at ATMs is a known risk. Do not use a machine if anything looks loose or added. If notes come out with pink marks, speak to the bank or the police at once. Marked notes may be flagged as damaged or counterfeit.

Check before you go: ask your card issuer which Brazilian ATM networks accept your card and what it charges per withdrawal. Some machines reject foreign cards, so carry two cards on different networks. The ATM shows its own fee on screen before you confirm.

Many Brazilian ATMs limit withdrawals at night. Withdraw during the day, and withdraw in the last city before you head off-route. Small towns may have one ATM or none.

Cash off-route

Cash still pays for the things a card cannot reach: a village guesthouse, a fishing boat, a beach kiosk, a market stall. Carry small notes, mainly R$ 2, R$ 5, R$ 10 and R$ 20. Change for a R$ 100 note can be hard to find in a small place.

Split your cash. Keep a day’s spending in a front pocket and the rest in your bag or room safe. Do not carry large sums, and do not take valuables to the beach.

To change foreign cash, use a casa de câmbio (exchange office) in a city or at the airport. Rates at the airport are usually worse. US dollars and euros are the easiest to change; pounds are accepted at fewer places.

Tipping and the 10% service charge

Restaurants usually add a 10% service charge, listed on the bill as “taxa de serviço” or “serviço.” This charge is optional and cannot be imposed on you. Ask for it to be removed if service was poor.

Lei 13.419 of March 13, 2017 sets how bars, restaurants and hotels must share that charge among staff. Paying it means the money goes to the team.

The couvert artístico is a cover charge for live music. It is allowed only when there is a live performance and you were told about it and its price in advance. See tipping in Brazil for more.

The IOF tax

IOF is Brazil’s tax on financial transactions. The 3.5% IOF rate on card spending applies to cards issued in Brazil and used for purchases abroad. That is the current wording of article 15-B of the IOF regulation (Decreto 6.306/2007), set by Decreto 12.499 of 2025, which a Supreme Court (STF) ruling put back into force in July 2025.

For a visitor, that rule taxes Brazilians spending abroad. Spending in Brazil on a credit card issued abroad carries an IOF rate of zero (art. 15-B, V). Your own bank’s foreign fee and exchange rate still apply.

The rule names credit cards only. To keep tax and fees low, use a foreign credit card for larger purchases. When you change cash at a casa de câmbio, ask for the total in reais you will receive, after all taxes and fees, before you hand over your money. Compare two or three offices if you are changing a large amount.

Scams to avoid

Card cloning and payment machine overcharging are the common money scams in Brazil. Card cloning happens at ATMs and in shops. In busy tourist areas, payment machine and beach vendor scams charge visitors the wrong amount, often by adding zeros.

Use these habits:

• Keep your card in sight the whole time.
• Read the amount on the card machine (“maquininha”) before you tap or enter your PIN.
• Skip any machine with a damaged or unreadable screen. It can signal tampering.
• Ask for a receipt and check your bank app the same evening.
• Call your bank at once if a charge looks wrong.

Criminals also use dating apps to target foreigners, leading to drink spiking and theft from bank accounts. Meet in public and keep your own drink in your hand. For the full list of setups, read common scams in Brazil.

Quick checklist

1. Bring two cards from different banks, both with low foreign fees.
2. Tell your banks your travel dates.
3. Withdraw cash at an ATM inside a mall or major hotel.
4. Carry small notes for off-route towns, boats and kiosks.
5. Decide if you need a CPF and a Brazilian account for Pix.
6. Check every amount on the card machine before you pay.
7. Expect a 10% service charge at restaurants. It is optional.

For street safety, read is Brazil safe. Staying longer to work remotely? See the Brazil digital nomad visa.