On the way of our journey to “open” LATAM market and to grant access to local acquiring solutions and local payment methods for EU merchants
Overview
On the way of our journey to “open” LATAM market and to grant access to local acquiring solutions and local payment methods for EU merchants we’d like to announce that Brazil being the first country where we ready to service our clients, while Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Peru coming later this year.
Brazil is one of the largest e-commerce markets in the world. Before translating your website into Portuguese, starting your marketing campaign or even searching for office space in the business centre of São Paulo, it is worth taking the time to consider how your potential Brazilian customers might like to pay for your goods or services and how CommerceGate can assist you in this.
70% of payments in Brazil are made with credit cards which are blocked from making international ‘cross-border” purchases and Brazilians rarely pay for anything outright. Most online transactions are paid in instalments.
Additionally, cash-based method Boleto Bancário is popular too and provides Brazilians access to your services and goods without credit cards.
Other factors to consider are the restrictions on banks, the volatility of local currency and financial controls which result from an external viewpoint, entry into Brazil is not always straightforward.
We will take you through some of the major difficulties international merchants should consider before entering the Brazilian market, including local payment methods and features.
Payment methods in Brazil
- Visa
- Mastercard
- American Express
- ELO
- Hipercard
- Boleto Bancário
- PIX
- Credit cards
Two leaders of online purchases are Visa and Mastercard. Alongside them is the local card scheme ELO which is gaining popularity. AMEX is used by a small segment but has a higher average transaction amount than any other card scheme. While ELO and Hipercard are typically used by lower-income customers. Around 70% of consumers own cards that are restricted from cross-border payments.
Boleto Bancário
Is Brazil’s most popular Business to Consumer cash-based method regulated by the Brazilian Federation of Banks. In e-commerce, Boleto represents about 20% of all payments. Its popularity also related to the number of unbanked people in the country.
A Boleto can be paid at:
- Any bank (including online banks)
- Post office
- ATMs
- Lottery Agent stores
- Supermarkets
- Mobile app
PIX
November 2020 Brazil’s central bank fully launched an instant payments platform that is speeding up and simplifying online payments.
The system is plugged into the platforms of more than 700 financial institutions in Brazil, including major banks, fintech projects and credit unions.
Being an instant payments system PIX allows round-the-clock payments, seven days a week without requiring debit or credit cards. It is also free of charge for individuals. The system is an important instrument to shift away from card terminals towards a digital set-up.
Here are a few ‘first-month’ stats from our partner that shows how important this payment method is:
- Total processing volume in the first month: 83.4 billion BRL
- Number of transactions in the first month: 92.5 million
- Number of registered accounts: 116 million (46 million consumers, 3 million businesses)
- Approved transactions: 99.5%
Through PIX all wallets that use QR Codes are interoperable, meaning transfers and payments allowed from one e-wallet to another in real-time. PIX instant payments are the next step of digital wallets.
Instalments
Also known as “parcelas” in Brazil, are payment plans that allow consumers to split their payments. Instalments are interest-free for the buyer and collected month-by-month by the merchant (ranging from two to 12 months). Selling instalments to Latin American customers is a game-changer, this payment option can increase your acceptance ratio and your average ticket. More than 70% of e-commerce purchases in Brazil are paid using an instalment plan.
Using CommerceGate, EU Merchants can target the Brazilian market and would ensure you have The Highest Acceptance Ratio for your business and most competitive Commercial Rates on the market, by getting access to local acquiring solutions and payment methods, powered by our local presence and partnership in the region.
One simple API integration with CommerceGate to accept all payment methods.
CommerceGate will also take care of:
- Merchant Account approval and set up;
- Smart transaction routing to achieve highest Acceptance Rates;
- Transactional Reporting;
- Financial Reconciliation;
- Currency Settlement options;
- Transfer of your funds to the EU Bank account;
Contact us today for more information!
If you have any questions or need more information about our LATAM coverage and payment methods, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Our dedicated sales teams are standing by to take your call or answer your email.
CommerceGate brings you the payment coverage and services you need, packed with the features to enable you to focus on running your business smoothly
