From now on, users will be able to carry out transactions just by bringing their cell phone to a compatible card machine, eliminating the need to open applications or enter data. The news was launched during an event at Google's headquarters in São Paulo, which was attended by Roberto Campos Neto, president of the Central Bank of Brazil.
The technology is similar to that used in contactless credit cards and aims to facilitate the user experience with Pix, which is already widely popular in Brazil. In a Central Bank survey, many users mentioned the practicality of contactless payments as a reason for preferring a credit card over Pix.
The new Pix contactless will be available throughout Brazil from February 2025, but some financial institutions, such as PicPay and Itaú Unibanco, have already started the implementation process.
To use the technology, the customer must inform the retailer of their intention to pay via Pix, enable payment on their cell phone with facial recognition or password, and approach the device to complete the transaction. Payments of up to R$200 only require in-app authentication; Higher values require the password.
