Boku Launches Fully Regulated Payments in Brazil After Securing Payment Institution Licence and Central Bank Clearance

Boku, the local payments partner for global commerce, announces it is live and transacting with Pix in Brazil, opening access for global merchants to one of the world’s most important real-time payments markets.

Following the Payment Institution licence granted by the Central Bank of Brazil in April 2025, Boku is now a Regulated Pix Participant enabling merchants access to local payments.

Pix is the default payment method for many Brazilians, processing more transactions in the country than Visa and Mastercard combined. In under five years, the system has become the favoured payment method for more than 150 million Brazilians, roughly 70% of the country’s population. 

For merchants, Pix is increasingly a must-have payment method in Brazil. Through Boku, merchants can now offer account-to-account (A2A) payments via the Sistema de Pagamentos Instantâneos (SPI) network to millions of people in Brazil. From launch, Boku supports one-time PIX payments, with settlement available both locally and cross-border. 

Boku’s roadmap includes Pix Automatico for recurring payments and Pix JSR, which enables Pix without redirection. These capabilities will support future Pix-enabled opportunities, including tokenised recurring payments, cross-border flows and other next-generation payment use cases.

Since receiving its licence, Boku has met all requirements to operate as a regulated Payment Institution in Brazil, including the authorisations required to provide payment initiation and e-money services, and has obtained regulatory clearance to move into live operation. 

Boku’s expansion into Brazil strengthens its position as the local payments partner for global commerce. By combining direct access to local payment rails with the licensing, banking and operational infrastructure required to operate at scale, Boku gives merchants a simpler way to reach Brazilian consumers and grow in a complex, high-value market. 

Stuart Neal, CEO, Boku, said: “Boku is now live and open for business in Brazil. This is an important milestone for our merchants and for any global business looking for a regulated, scalable route into Brazil. Pix has become a must-have payment method in Brazil, and it also reflects a much bigger shift in global payments. Governments, regulators and consumers are increasingly backing domestic payment infrastructure that is fast, secure and built around local needs. That movement towards payment sovereignty is reshaping how global merchants need to operate. 

“By connecting through Boku, merchants can access one of the world’s most successful real-time payment systems through a regulated partner that understands both global commerce and local payment infrastructure. As Pix expands into recurring payments, cross-border flows and new credit use cases, Boku is well positioned to help merchants capture the next generation of payment growth in Brazil. With Pix, we are offering a seamless, regulated gateway to 150 million consumers that bypasses the friction of traditional card networks.”