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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Mauricio Savarese

Brazil's beloved instant payment system faces scrutiny from the Trump administration

Brazil Payment System - (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Brazil is a politically divided country, but there's one thing that those on all sides of the political spectrum love: PIX, the country's instant payment system that allows users to pay for everything, from ice cream on the beach to clothes in a shopping mall and even a car.

Unlike payment apps run by private banks, PIX is governed Brazil's Central Bank. Its massive popularity drove $7 trillion in transactions last year, though now it faces scrutiny from the U.S. government over claims of unfair trade practices for bypassing traditional credit networks like Visa and Mastercard.

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