Brazil's Central Bank Bans Crypto Settlement on Regulated Cross-Border Payment Rails

Under Resolution No. 521, the Central Bank of Brazil, or BCB, brought virtual-asset services under its foreign-exchange and international-capital rules from February 2, 2026. International payments or transfers are capped at $100,000 per transaction when the counterparty is not an authorized foreign-exchange institution. Mandatory reporting took effect on May 4 to help authorities track crypto fund flows.

The BCB issued Resolution No. 561 on April 30, 2026, barring regulated eFX providers from settling with overseas counterparties in stablecoins or other virtual assets. Settlement must instead use foreign-exchange transactions or nonresident Brazilian real accounts. The new rules take effect on October 1. Digital payments not integrated with e-commerce platforms and investment transfers will each be capped at $10,000 per transaction.