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Pix explained: how Brazil's instant payments work for merchants

QR codes, keys, refunds and recurring Pix. A technical overview of Brazil's instant payment system and tips for accepting it.

APMsAPM guide

Pix is the instant payment system run by Brazil’s central bank, the Banco Central do Brasil. Since its launch in November 2020 it has become the most used payment method in the country, for everything from splitting a bill to paying online.

Note for gambling operators: since late September 2026, Brazilian banks and payment institutions must block Pix and other payments to fixed-odds betting. See our news post on Brazil’s betting ban.

How a Pix payment works

Every Pix account can be reached by a Pix key: a CPF/CNPJ tax number, phone number, email or random key. Online merchants normally don’t ask customers for keys. Instead they generate a dynamic QR code (or a “copia e cola” text code) for each order:

  1. You create a charge with the amount and an expiry time.
  2. The customer scans the QR code or pastes the code into their banking app.
  3. They confirm in the app, and the payment settles in seconds, 24/7.
  4. You receive a notification and mark the order as paid.

Tips for higher conversion

  • Make the code easy to copy on mobile. Most customers are on the same phone as their banking app, so a big “copy code” button beats a QR code.
  • Set a sensible expiry. Long enough to switch apps and pay; short enough to release reserved stock.
  • Confirm instantly. Listen for the payment notification and update the page without a reload.
  • Show the amount and your name clearly. Customers check that the payee matches your brand.

Refunds and disputes

Pix has no card-style chargeback. Refunds are sent as a Pix “devolução” linked to the original payment. For fraud and scams, the central bank runs a special return mechanism (MED) that lets banks block and return funds in qualifying cases, so keep good records.

Recurring payments

Pix Automático lets customers authorise recurring payments once, for subscriptions, utilities and memberships, without a new approval each time.

Payouts

Pix is also ideal for payouts: send funds to any Pix key, instantly, with the recipient’s name returned for checks.

Tuskpay supports Pix among our local payment methods. Talk to us about Brazil.