Pay with Pix in Brazil Using Peanut
Instant QR payments at virtually every merchant. No CPF needed. Save up to 3.5% — IOF does not apply. Verify with your passport in under 2 minutes.
Pix is how Brazil pays. Over 150 million people use it to buy groceries, pay for dinner, fill up the car, split rides, and settle bills — instantly, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The problem for foreigners: accessing Pix normally requires a CPF (Brazilian tax ID) and a local bank account. Without residency, most visitors and digital nomads cannot get either.
Peanut removes that wall. Verify with your passport, fund your balance with digital dollars, and scan any Pix QR code to pay. The merchant receives BRL in seconds and sees a normal Pix payment — they have no idea you are using Peanut. IOF (Tax on Financial Operations) does not apply to Peanut's digital dollar conversion, saving you up to 3.5% compared to credit cards and bank transfers on cross-border payments in Brazil.
What Is Pix?
Pix is Brazil's instant payment system, created and regulated by the Central Bank of Brazil (Banco Central do Brasil). Launched in November 2020, it grew into the country's default payment method within two years. Today, more than 150 million Brazilians — roughly 70% of the adult population — use Pix for everyday transactions.
The system works through QR codes. A merchant displays a Pix QR at the register, on a table tent, or on a screen. The customer scans the code with any Pix-enabled app, confirms the BRL amount, and the payment arrives in the merchant's account within seconds. Pix runs 24/7/365 with no business-day restrictions, no processing windows, and no merchant waiting periods. Weekends, holidays, midnight — it always works.
Pix is not a private company or a fintech product. It is public financial infrastructure operated by Brazil's central bank, which means every bank and financial institution in the country is required to support it.
How to Pay with Pix Using Peanut
- 1
Find the merchant's Pix QR code
Look for the Pix QR code at the register, on the table, or displayed on the merchant's screen. Virtually every business in Brazil — from supermarket chains to street food vendors — displays one.
- 2
Open Peanut and tap Pay
Launch the app and tap the QR scanner. Peanut reads Pix QR codes directly — no separate Pix app needed.
- 3
Scan the QR code
Point your camera at the Pix QR. The app detects the merchant and pulls in the payment details automatically.
- 4
Confirm the BRL amount
You see the price in BRL, the equivalent charge in digital dollars, and the current exchange rate. The rate locks at this exact moment — what you see is what you pay.
- 5
Done — merchant receives payment instantly
The merchant gets BRL in their account within seconds. On their end, it looks like any other Pix payment from any Brazilian bank. Peanut is completely invisible to the merchant.
Where You Can Pay with Pix
Pix acceptance in Brazil is near-universal. If a business takes any form of digital payment, it takes Pix. Here is where you will use it most:
Restaurants and cafes. From upscale dining in Sao Paulo's Jardins neighborhood to beachside kiosks in Rio de Janeiro and Florianopolis, Pix QR codes are on every table and at every counter. Many restaurants have moved away from card terminals entirely — Pix is faster and cheaper for them.
Supermarkets and grocery stores. Major chains and neighborhood markets display Pix QR at checkout. This is often the quickest way through the line, since Pix settlement is instant.
Gas stations. Pay at the pump or inside the convenience store. Pix QR is standard at virtually every gas station across the country.
Ride-hailing and transport. Uber and 99 — Brazil's two dominant ride-hailing apps — both accept Pix as a payment option. Some taxi drivers and local transport services also display personal Pix QR codes.
Hotels and hostels. Pay your accommodation bill with Pix at reception. Hotels in major tourist destinations like Rio, Salvador, Florianopolis, Foz do Iguacu, and the Chapada Diamantina region commonly accept it.
Street vendors and markets. Acai stands, craft fairs, farmers markets, beach vendors — even the smallest businesses in Brazil have adopted Pix. Cash is rapidly becoming secondary to QR payments in Brazilian daily life.
Requirements
Info
What you need to get started:
- A Peanut account with identity verification. Upload a photo of your passport or national ID card and take a quick selfie. The process takes under 2 minutes for most users. Verification is handled by a certified third-party provider — Peanut never sees or stores your documents. Driver's licenses are accepted only for US users.
- A funded balance. Deposit digital dollars from any exchange or wallet via Solana, Arbitrum, Base, Tron, or Ethereum — gas fees are covered by Peanut. Or deposit from your bank: SEPA transfers (36 European countries, free, 90% arrive under 20 minutes), ACH (US, free, 1-3 business days), or wire (free on Peanut's end). All deposits are free.
- A Pix QR code to scan. Peanut supports QR code scanning for in-person merchant payments. You need a visible QR — either printed at the merchant or displayed on a screen.
What you do not need:
- No CPF (Brazilian tax ID)
- No Brazilian bank account
- No local phone number
- No residency or visa documentation
Transaction limits: Users in Latin America have a $2,000 USD monthly limit across all operations (deposits, withdrawals, and payments combined). Users in the US and Europe have no hard limit — transactions above $100,000 trigger manual review. Limits can be increased with additional documentation by contacting support.
Fees and Exchange Rate
Pix payments through Peanut are free. There is no transaction fee, no per-payment charge, and no hidden costs. The exchange rate you see on the confirmation screen is the complete cost.
Exchange rate: Peanut converts your digital dollars to BRL at the real-time market rate. The rate locks the instant you tap confirm — no slippage, no post-transaction adjustments. The amount on the confirmation screen is exactly what gets charged.
IOF savings — save up to 3.5%. This is the primary cost advantage for Brazil. The Tax on Financial Operations (IOF) applies to virtually all cross-border money movement in Brazil: 0.38% on inbound transfers and up to 3.5% on most outbound transactions. Credit card foreign purchases, bank wire transfers, and remittance services all trigger IOF. Peanut's digital dollar-to-BRL conversion is not covered by IOF legislation, so IOF does not apply to your Pix payments.
Compared to alternatives:
- Credit cards in Brazil: IOF of up to 3.5% on foreign transactions, plus the card network's foreign transaction fee (typically 1-3%), plus an unfavorable exchange rate markup. A $100 purchase can cost you $104-$107.
- Wise transfers to Brazil: Subject to IOF on the Brazilian side. Wise also charges a transfer fee (varies by corridor, typically 0.4-1.5%).
- Bank wire transfers: IOF applies, plus wire fees ($25-$80 from your bank), plus poor exchange rates.
- Peanut via Pix: No IOF. No fees. The market rate is the rate — nothing on top.
See the full breakdown on the pricing page.
Good to Know
QR code scanning only — not copia e cola. Peanut reads Pix QR codes through your phone's camera. The "copia e cola" (copy-and-paste code) flow — where you paste a long alphanumeric Pix string — is not supported. You need a visual QR code to scan, either printed at a merchant or displayed on a screen.
Sending money to a person in Brazil. Pix QR scanning through Peanut is designed for merchant payments. To send funds to a friend, family member, or contractor in Brazil, create a Peanut Link — a one-time payment link you share via WhatsApp, text, or email. The recipient claims the funds and can withdraw to their own Pix account instantly. They do not need a Peanut account to receive the money.
Rate lock protects you from market moves. The exchange rate freezes the instant you tap confirm. Even if the BRL rate shifts while the payment settles (which takes only seconds), your rate does not change. No surprises on your statement.
Merchant sees a completely normal Pix payment. There is no indication that Peanut was involved. On the merchant's end, the transaction looks identical to a Pix payment from any Brazilian bank account. No awkward explanations at the register, no merchant confusion, no declined payments because of a foreign funding source.
Available 24/7/365. Because Pix itself operates around the clock — no business-day windows, no weekend blackouts — Peanut Pix payments work any time. Pay for a late-night ride, a weekend brunch, or a holiday market purchase without restrictions.
Your balance stays in dollars until you spend. Your Peanut balance is held in digital dollars. It does not fluctuate with BRL exchange rate movements between the time you deposit and the time you pay. You convert to BRL only at the moment of payment, at the rate shown on your screen.
FAQ
Disclaimer
The information on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Tax treatment of digital asset transactions varies by jurisdiction and may change. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.
