US dollar account for Brazilian companies: receiving payments from US customers
A Brazilian company receives US dollar payments from US customers by SWIFT wire to its Brazilian bank, which converts them to reais under a foreign exchange contract, or into a US dollar account in its own name abroad, where Brazilian law allows export proceeds to be kept. Since 1 October 2026, goods exporters can also hold a US dollar deposit account inside Brazil. This guide covers the Central Bank rules, Pix, the details to put on an invoice, cut-offs, published fees and documents.
- Brazilian companies convert export dollars into reais only through institutions authorized by the Central Bank of Brazil, under a foreign exchange contract (contrato de câmbio).
- Law 14.286 of 2021 makes keeping export proceeds abroad optional for the exporter, so a US dollar account outside Brazil is a lawful place to receive US customer payments.
- From 1 October 2026, Resolution BCB 575 allows goods exporters to hold foreign currency deposit accounts in Brazil, credited only with export revenue and other amounts from abroad.
- Pix moves only reais between accounts at Brazilian institutions, so a US buyer cannot pay into it directly; dollars must be received and converted first.
- IOF tax on foreign exchange operations for the inflow of export revenue from goods and services is zero under Decree 6.306, Article 15-B.
- The Central Bank publishes each bank's maximum fees, for example R$250 at Banco do Brasil and R$650 at Itaú Unibanco to issue an export foreign exchange contract.
How a US customer pays a Brazilian company
A US buyer has three practical ways to pay a Brazilian exporter in US dollars. Each one ends with the same question: when, and through whom, do the dollars become reais.
SWIFT is the messaging network banks use to send payment instructions across borders. A SWIFT code (also called a BIC) is the 8 or 11 character code that identifies one bank on that network. Fedwire is the US central bank's system for same-day dollar transfers between US banks. ACH is the US batch system for lower-cost domestic bank transfers. A US buyer can use Fedwire or ACH only when the receiving account is in the United States.
| Route | How the money moves | When dollars become reais |
|---|---|---|
| Wire to a Brazilian bank | The buyer's US bank sends a SWIFT payment, usually through a US correspondent bank (a bank that holds dollar accounts for the Brazilian bank), to the exporter's bank in Brazil. | When the exporter closes a foreign exchange contract with its Brazilian bank. |
| Foreign currency account in Brazil | From 1 October 2026, a goods exporter may hold a US dollar deposit account at a Brazilian bank and receive the SWIFT payment into it. | Later, at a time the exporter chooses, through a foreign exchange contract. |
| US dollar account abroad | The buyer pays US account details in the exporter's name by ACH, Fedwire or SWIFT. Brazilian law allows export proceeds to be kept abroad. | Only when the exporter sends the dollars to Brazil and converts them. |
The first route is the traditional one. The second is new and depends on each bank's rollout. The third is simplest for the buyer, because paying a US account is a domestic transfer.
Brazil's foreign exchange rules for export proceeds
Brazil's current foreign exchange framework is Law 14.286 of 29 December 2021, which entered into force one year after publication, and its main rulebook, Central Bank of Brazil (Banco Central do Brasil, BCB) Resolution BCB 277 of 31 December 2022. The points that matter to an exporter are below.
Only authorized institutions can carry out foreign exchange
Article 3 of Law 14.286 states that foreign exchange market operations may be carried out only through institutions authorized to operate in that market. Article 2 says these operations may be carried out freely, with no limit on value, subject to the law and Central Bank rules. In practice, a Brazilian company converts export dollars into reais through a bank or other institution authorized by the Central Bank.
The contrato de câmbio
A contrato de câmbio (foreign exchange contract) is the record of one purchase or sale of foreign currency between a client and an authorized institution: the amount, the rate, the settlement date and the purpose. Resolution BCB 277 lets the parties choose how the contract is formalized, provided the institution can prove the client agreed to the terms (Article 2). The client is responsible for classifying the purpose of the operation using the Central Bank's purpose codes; one code list applies up to US$50,000 and a more detailed list applies above that amount (Article 4).
Currency, timing and where the money lands
- Export revenue may enter Brazil in reais or in foreign currency, regardless of the currency in the commercial contract, before or after shipment (Resolution BCB 277, Article 46).
- The export value may be received, among other ways, by credit to an account held abroad by an institution authorized to operate in Brazil's foreign exchange market (Article 46, paragraph 1).
- If an export foreign exchange contract settles after shipment, the maximum gap between shipment and settlement is 1,500 days (Article 38, paragraph 4). The shipment date is the date the international transport document was issued.
- A spot contract settles within two business days, excluding days that are not business days in at least one of the financial centers of the currencies involved (Article 38). A US holiday can therefore delay a Brazilian settlement.
Export proceeds may be kept abroad
Article 26 of Law 14.286 restated Article 1 of Law 11.371 of 2006: keeping abroad the foreign currency received from exports is optional for the exporter ("Fica facultada a manutenção, no exterior, dos recursos em moeda estrangeira relativos aos recebimentos de exportações"). A Brazilian exporter may therefore leave US customer payments in a US dollar account outside Brazil and bring them home when it chooses. Ask your accountant how to record and report those balances.
Total cost and tax
The VET (Valor Efetivo Total, or total effective value) is the full cost of a foreign exchange operation in reais per unit of foreign currency, including the rate, taxes and fees. For spot operations with clients of up to US$100,000, the institution must tell the client the VET before the operation (Resolution BCB 277, Article 18). IOF is Brazil's tax on financial operations. Its rate on foreign exchange operations for the inflow of export revenue from goods and services is zero (Decree 6.306 of 2007, Article 15-B, item I).
US dollar accounts in Brazil from 1 October 2026
Until recently, few Brazilian companies could hold a foreign currency deposit account inside Brazil. Resolution BCB 575 of 18 June 2026 amended Resolution BCB 277 and took effect on 1 October 2026. It added goods exporters to the list of companies that may hold one.
| Rule | What Resolution BCB 575 says |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies | Companies that export goods (pessoas jurídicas exportadoras de bens). Service exporters are not named in this category. |
| What may be credited | Only export revenue and other amounts coming from abroad. |
| Converting to reais | Requires a foreign exchange contract under the rules in force. |
| Cash and checks | Cash deposits and withdrawals, and movement by check, are prohibited. |
| Transfers in foreign currency | No foreign exchange contract is needed to move foreign currency to and from these accounts, including conversion between foreign currencies. |
| Reporting | The bank sends the Central Bank monthly data for each account, including the account identifier in IBAN format, opening and closing balances and total credits and debits, by the fifth day of the following month. |
Source: Banco Central do Brasil, Resolution BCB 575 of 18 June 2026, as published on 21 October 2026.
An IBAN (International Bank Account Number) is a standard account format that includes the country, bank, branch and account number in one string. The new accounts are reported in that format.
The change lets an exporter keep dollars in Brazil instead of converting on arrival. It does not make the dollar a payment currency inside Brazil: every conversion to reais still goes through a foreign exchange contract. Banks offer the product under their own onboarding and risk processes, so ask your bank whether it has launched the account and what it charges.
Pix explained, and why it does not take US dollars
Pix is Brazil's instant payment system, created and operated by the Central Bank of Brazil. It moves money between current, savings and prepaid payment accounts at Brazilian institutions in a few seconds, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. It launched on 16 November 2020. Participation is mandatory for financial and payment institutions with more than 500,000 active customer accounts, and the Central Bank lists more than 900 participating institutions.
| Pix fact | Figure published by the Central Bank |
|---|---|
| Transactions in September 2026 | More than 7.8 billion |
| Value in September 2026 | More than R$3.8 trillion |
| Individuals who used Pix in September 2026 | More than 150 million |
| Single-day record | 318,116,744 transactions on 4 September 2026 |
| Cost | Free for individuals, lower cost for companies |
Source: Banco Central do Brasil, Pix pages, as published on 21 October 2026.
Pix cannot receive a payment from a US customer's bank. Its participants are Brazilian institutions, it settles through the Central Bank's own infrastructure, and its limits are set in reais. Any money arriving from abroad must first pass through an institution authorized to operate in the foreign exchange market (Law 14.286, Article 3). Services marketed as "Pix for international payments" work in two steps: the dollars are received and converted by an authorized institution, and the reais are then paid out by Pix.
After conversion, Pix is useful for paying suppliers, payroll and taxes in reais instantly.
Account details to put on the invoice
Ask your bank or account provider for its standard settlement instructions and copy them exactly. Resolution BCB 277 requires that a payment to or from abroad carries information on both the sender and the beneficiary (Article 13), so a missing name or address can hold a payment.
| Field | Wire to a Brazilian bank | US dollar account in your name |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficiary name | Your company's legal name, as registered with your bank | Your company's legal name |
| Beneficiary address | Your registered address in Brazil | Your registered address in Brazil |
| Beneficiary bank | Your Brazilian bank's name and SWIFT code | The US bank's name and address given by your provider |
| Account identifier | The account number or IBAN your bank gives for incoming payments | Account number |
| US routing | Intermediary (correspondent) bank name, SWIFT code and ABA routing number, as listed by your bank | ABA routing number for ACH and Fedwire; SWIFT code for payments from outside the US |
| Charges instruction | OUR, so the sender pays the bank fees | Not needed for ACH or Fedwire |
| Payment reference | Invoice number | Invoice number |
An ABA routing number is the nine-digit number that identifies a US bank for Fedwire and ACH. The charges instruction on a SWIFT payment decides who pays bank fees: OUR means the sender pays all fees, SHA means each side pays its own bank, and BEN means the receiver pays all fees, deducted from the amount. With SHA or BEN, intermediary banks can deduct fees on the way, and the amount that arrives is smaller than the invoice.
Show only one receiving route per invoice, with the amount in US dollars, the due date and the invoice number to quote.
Arrival times, cut-offs and holidays
A payment from the United States runs on two calendars: the US banking day and the Brazilian business day. The table shows the published operating windows of each system.
| System | Operating window | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Fedwire Funds Service | Business day from 9:00 p.m. ET on the preceding calendar day to 7:00 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday except Federal Reserve holidays. Transfers for a bank's customer must be initiated by 6:45 p.m. ET. | Transfers are final and irrevocable once processed. Only reaches a US account. |
| SWIFT wire to Brazil | Depends on the sending bank, any correspondent bank and your Brazilian bank's foreign exchange desk. | Your bank must notify you immediately when a payment order from abroad arrives (Resolution BCB 277, Article 14). |
| Foreign exchange contract (spot) | Settles within two business days, excluding days that are non-business days in either currency's financial center. | A US or Brazilian holiday can add a day. |
| Pix | 24 hours a day, every day of the year. | Only for reais, after conversion. |
Sources: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Fedwire Funds Services; Banco Central do Brasil, Resolution BCB 277 and Pix pages; as published on 21 October 2026.
When a payment order arrives, you may convert it in full or in parts (Article 14), so you can choose the day you convert.
Holidays for the rest of 2026 and for 2027
| Date | Country | Holiday | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 2 November 2026 | Brazil | Finados (national holiday) | No Brazilian settlement |
| Wed 11 November 2026 | United States | Veterans Day | Fedwire closed |
| Sun 15 November 2026 | Brazil | Proclamação da República (national holiday) | Falls on a Sunday |
| Fri 20 November 2026 | Brazil | Dia Nacional de Zumbi e da Consciência Negra (national holiday) | No Brazilian settlement |
| Thu 26 November 2026 | United States | Thanksgiving Day | Fedwire closed |
| Fri 25 December 2026 | Both | Christmas Day | No settlement in either country |
| Fri 1 January 2027 | Both | New Year's Day | No settlement in either country |
| Mon 18 January, Mon 15 February, Mon 31 May 2027 | United States | Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day | Fedwire closed |
| Mon 5 July, Mon 6 September, Mon 11 October 2027 | United States | Independence Day (observed), Labor Day, Columbus Day | Fedwire closed |
| Thu 11 November, Thu 25 November 2027 | United States | Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day | Fedwire closed |
Sources: Portaria MGI 11.460 of 29 December 2025 (Brazil's 2026 national holidays); Federal Reserve Financial Services, Holiday Schedules; as published on 21 October 2026.
Brazil's federal government publishes the next year's national holiday list at the end of each year; the 2026 list was published on 30 December 2025. The 2026 list also marked 24 and 31 December as optional days off for federal offices from 1:00 p.m. Juneteenth (19 June) and Christmas (25 December) fall on a Saturday in 2027, and the Federal Reserve says it is open on the preceding Friday in that case.
Fees as published
The Central Bank of Brazil publishes the maximum fee each bank charges companies for each foreign exchange service. Two services apply to most export receipts: issuing the export foreign exchange contract and settling an export with a payment order from abroad. The figures below are maximum values per transaction in reais, as reported by each bank.
| Bank | Export FX contract (R$) | Export settlement with payment order (R$) |
|---|---|---|
| Banco do Brasil | 250.00 | 250.00 |
| Itaú Unibanco | 650.00 (415.00 online) | 215.00 |
| Bradesco | 900.00 | 225.00 |
| Santander Brasil | 323.00 | 150.00 |
| Caixa Econômica Federal | 350.00 | 100.00 |
| BTG Pactual | 1,000.00 | 0.00 |
| Banco Inter | 500.00 (0.00 online) | 500.00 |
| C6 Bank | 1,500.00 | 500.00 |
Source: Banco Central do Brasil, Tarifas Bancárias, "Exportação: Edição de Contrato de Câmbio" and "Exportação: Liquidação com Ordem de Pagamento", pessoa jurídica, last updated 21 October 2026, as published on 21 October 2026.
These fees do not include the exchange rate margin, which is often the larger cost. Ask for the VET before each conversion and compare it with the Central Bank's published rate for the same day.
| Provider | Published fee for receiving US dollars | Other published fees |
|---|---|---|
| Wise Business (Brazil pricing page) | Domestic US payments (not wire): free. USD wire and SWIFT payments: US$6.11 per payment. | One-time fee of R$250 to enable account details in 23 currencies. |
| Payoneer | Receiving into an account in a currency that is not your local currency: 1% (minimum US$1.00). | Withdrawal to a bank account in a non-local currency with conversion: 1.2% to 4%. Annual fee of US$29.95 if less than US$6,000 is received in 12 months. |
Sources: Wise Business pricing, Brazil and Payoneer fees, as published on 21 October 2026. Airwallex's eligible countries list included Brazil on that date, with Brazilian businesses onboarded to its United States entity.
Helm's charges are agreed with your account manager; speak to the team.
Documents a Brazilian exporter should keep ready
Banks check that each foreign exchange operation matches a real export. Ready documents shorten the time to conversion.
| Document | Why it is needed |
|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Shows the buyer, the amount in US dollars and the invoice number quoted on the payment. |
| International transport document (bill of lading or air waybill) | Its issue date is the shipment date used for export foreign exchange deadlines. |
| Customs clearance record | Used as the shipment date if the transport document date is not available. |
| Sales contract or purchase order | Supports the currency, price and payment terms. |
| Purpose code | You classify the purpose of each foreign exchange operation; your bank provides the code list. |
| Company registration (CNPJ) and signatory documents | Needed to open the account and close foreign exchange contracts. The CNPJ is the Brazilian company tax registration number. |
Source: Banco Central do Brasil, Resolution BCB 277 (Articles 4 and 38), as published on 21 October 2026.
Keep the same records for payments received into a US dollar account abroad; you will need them when the money comes to Brazil.
Where a US dollar account in your name fits
A US buyer pays fastest and most cheaply when the invoice shows US account details: the payment is then a domestic ACH or Fedwire transfer for them, with no correspondent banks in the chain. Brazilian law allows the exporter to keep those proceeds abroad, so the company can hold dollars, pay US-dollar costs from them and convert to reais in Brazil when the rate and timing suit it.
Helm provides USD account details in your company's own name, with a routing and account number that receive ACH, Fedwire and SWIFT payments. Collections from buyers abroad can be held in US dollars or converted, and USDC and USDT can be received and converted to US dollars inside the account. Each client has a named account manager, and review questions are answered in writing within one business day. Helm is a financial technology company, not a bank; accounts are held with regulated partner institutions.
For the US side of the payment, see SWIFT vs ACH vs Fedwire and the wider guide on how to receive USD from overseas buyers. If you also buy from Brazilian suppliers for a US entity, read how to pay suppliers in Brazil.
Open a Helm account
USD, EUR and GBP accounts in your company's name, with a named account manager.
Open accountQuestions
Can a Brazilian company receive US dollars from a US customer?
Yes. The US customer can send a SWIFT wire to the company's Brazilian bank, which converts it to reais under a foreign exchange contract, or pay US account details held in the company's name abroad. Since 1 October 2026, goods exporters can also hold a foreign currency deposit account at a Brazilian bank.
Can Brazilian exporters keep export revenue outside Brazil?
Yes. Article 26 of Law 14.286 of 2021 restated Law 11.371 of 2006 so that keeping export proceeds in foreign currency abroad is optional for the exporter. The company decides when to bring the money to Brazil and convert it.
What is a contrato de câmbio?
A contrato de câmbio is a foreign exchange contract: the record of one purchase or sale of foreign currency between a client and an institution authorized by the Central Bank of Brazil. It states the amount, rate, settlement date and purpose of the operation.
What does Resolution BCB 575 change for exporters?
From 1 October 2026, companies that export goods may hold foreign currency deposit accounts in Brazil. Credits must come only from export revenue and other amounts from abroad, conversion to reais requires a foreign exchange contract, and cash and checks are not allowed.
Can a US customer pay a Brazilian company by Pix?
Not directly. Pix moves reais between accounts at Brazilian institutions, and money from abroad must pass through an institution authorized to operate in the foreign exchange market. International services that pay out by Pix receive and convert the dollars first.
Do Brazilian exporters pay IOF on export receipts?
No. Decree 6.306 of 2007, Article 15-B, item I, sets the IOF rate at zero for foreign exchange operations relating to the inflow of export revenue from goods and services.
How long can a Brazilian exporter wait before converting export dollars?
If the export foreign exchange contract settles after shipment, Resolution BCB 277 allows up to 1,500 days between the shipment date and settlement. Proceeds kept abroad under Law 14.286 do not have to be converted on arrival.
What bank details should a Brazilian exporter give a US buyer?
Give the company's legal name and address, the bank's name and SWIFT code, the account identifier, and any US correspondent bank with its SWIFT code and ABA routing number, copied from your bank's settlement instructions. Ask the buyer to use the OUR charges option and to quote the invoice number.
What does a Brazilian bank charge to receive an export payment?
The Central Bank publishes each bank's maximum fees. On 21 October 2026, Bradesco listed R$900 to issue an export foreign exchange contract and R$225 to settle an export with a payment order, and Santander Brasil listed R$323 and R$150. The exchange rate margin is charged on top.
Which holidays delay a USD payment to Brazil?
Both Brazilian national holidays and US Federal Reserve holidays. A spot foreign exchange contract settles within two business days, excluding days that are not business days in either currency's financial center, and Fedwire does not operate on Federal Reserve holidays.
References
- Presidência da República: Lei nº 14.286, de 29 de dezembro de 2021 (foreign exchange law)
- Banco Central do Brasil: Resolução BCB nº 277, de 31 de dezembro de 2022
- Banco Central do Brasil: Resolução BCB nº 575, de 18 de junho de 2026
- Banco Central do Brasil: Pix
- Banco Central do Brasil: Tarifas bancárias, Exportação: Liquidação com Ordem de Pagamento (pessoa jurídica)
- Presidência da República: Decreto nº 6.306, de 14 de dezembro de 2007 (IOF)
- Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System: Fedwire Funds Services
- Diário Oficial da União: Portaria MGI nº 11.460, de 29 de dezembro de 2025 (2026 national holidays)
This guide is general information for businesses, not financial, legal or tax advice. Rules, fees and timings were checked against the sources listed on the review date and may change.