How to Receive International Payments as a Freelancer in Brazil (2026)

• Wise Business — supports BRL and Pix. Best FX margin (0.45%). IOF applies to conversions (0.38% for most transfers).
• Payoneer — strong Brazil presence. 2% FX margin. Supports Pix withdrawal.
• PayPal — available but expensive. 2.9% + $0.30 receiving fee + 3-4% FX margin.
• Remessa Online — Brazilian fintech specialising in USD/EUR to BRL. Competitive rates for large amounts.

Brazil's IOF (Imposto sobre Operações Financeiras) applies to foreign currency exchange operations. For freelancers:

• IOF rate on foreign currency conversion to BRL: 0.38% for most current account transactions.
• Payments for export of services have a reduced 0% or 0.38% IOF depending on structure.
• IOF is applied by your bank or platform on the conversion — it's included in the effective exchange rate you see.
• Register your service contract as a 'service export' with your bank to qualify for the lower IOF rate.

• MEI (Microempreendedor Individual): up to R$81,000/year annual revenue. Fixed monthly contribution of R$70 (INSS + ISS/ICMS). Simple and cheap but has limitations on professional activities.
• PJ (Pessoa Jurídica / company): SLU or EIRELI structure. Presumed profit taxation: 11.33–16.33% of gross revenue (Simples Nacional) for service exports.
• Freelancers earning over R$81,000 or providing services not covered by MEI must use PJ structure.
• PJ invoices (Nota Fiscal de Serviço) are required for each international payment — even if the client is abroad.
• Consult a Brazilian contador (accountant) — the tax calculation is complex and the right structure saves significantly.