Brazil Officially Recognizes Stablecoin Payments as Foreign Currency Transactions Under New Rules

Brazil’s central bank has finalized comprehensive regulatory rules that bring cryptocurrency companies under banking-style oversight, officially classifying stablecoin transactions as foreign-exchange operations.

The Banco Central do Brasil (BCB) published three resolutions establishing operational standards for virtual-asset service providers.

🚀 LATEST: BRAZIL’S CENTRAL BANK WILL NOW REQUIRE CRYPTO SERVICE PROVIDERS TO OBTAIN FORMAL AUTHORIZATION BEFORE OPERATING. THE RULES BEGIN IN FEBRUARY 2026 AND INCLUDE A 9-MONTH GRACE PERIOD. pic.twitter.com/5ZBGFaRzqN

— Coinwaft (@coinwaft) November 11, 2025

Under Resolutions 519, 520 and 521, published Monday, the BCB created a new category of licensed entities called Sociedades Prestadoras de Serviços de Ativos Virtuais (SPSAVs).

These virtual-asset service providers will operate under similar consumer protection, transparency and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) requirements as traditional financial institutions.

The framework extends to crypto brokers, custodians and intermediaries operating within Brazilian jurisdiction.

The rules will take effect on Feb. 2, 2026, with mandatory reporting for capital-market and cross-border operations beginning on May 4, 2026.

Stablecoins Reclassified as Foreign Exchange Operations

Resolution 521 establishes that purchases, sales or exchanges of fiat-pegged virtual assets will be treated as foreign-exchange (FX) operations.

International transfers or payments using stablecoins fall under this classification, subjecting them to the same scrutiny as cross-border remittances.

Licensed FX institutions and the newly created SPSAVs will be authorized to perform these operations, subject to specific documentation and value limitations.

The BCB stipulated that transactions with unlicensed foreign counterparts will be capped at $100,000 per transfer.

Stablecoin activity will now require the same level of oversight as traditional currency trades. This marks a significant shift in how Brazil regulates digital assets tied to fiat currencies.

Meanwhile, the rules address transfers involving self-custodied wallets when intermediated by a service provider.

Providers must identify wallet owners and maintain verification processes for the origin and destination of assets, regardless of whether the transfer crosses international borders.

This provision extends AML and transparency obligations to areas previously operating outside regulated finance.

While the rules don’t explicitly prohibit self-custody, they close reporting gaps by requiring regulated exchanges and brokers to treat wallet interactions as formal FX operations.

Visa Expands Multi-Chain Stablecoin Payment Infrastructure

Following Brazil’s regulatory development, Visa Inc. on Oct 28, 2025, announced support for four major stablecoins across multiple blockchain networks. The payment giant will enable merchants in over 200 countries to accept crypto payments with instant conversion to more than 25 fiat currencies.

🚨 JUST IN: VISA ANNOUNCES PLANS TO ENABLE PAYMENTS IN FOUR STABLECOINS ACROSS FOUR BLOCKCHAINS, INCLUDING FIAT CONVERSION SUPPORT. pic.twitter.com/fcsc7WvNqn

— Coinwaft (@coinwaft) October 29, 2025

Visa’s expansion covers USDC, EURC, PYUSD and USDG across Ethereum, Solana, Stellar and Avalanche blockchains.

Merchants can now receive stablecoin payments that convert immediately into traditional currencies, removing friction from crypto-to-fiat transactions.

Ryan McInerney, the CEO of Visa, positioned the initiative as a bridge between traditional finance and programmable money.

The company aims to accelerate business-to-business and cross-border payment capabilities for merchants globally through this infrastructure expansion.

The timing of Visa’s announcement alongside Brazil’s regulatory framework demonstrates growing institutional integration of stablecoin payment systems.

The parallel developments indicate increasing coordination between regulatory bodies and payment infrastructure providers in the cryptocurrency sector.

The $100,000 transaction limit for unlicensed counterparts establishes risk management parameters for cross-border crypto operations.

Licensed providers will need to implement compliance systems meeting both traditional banking standards and cryptocurrency-specific requirements before the 2026 implementation date.