Pix by approximation can now be tested in all banks; see the calendar and how it works – Noticias R7

All banks and other financial institutions can now test Pix by contact, as is already the case with debit and credit cards, since this Thursday (14). From February 28, 2025, this payment method must be offered to all customers. But some institutions anticipated the Central Bank's calendar and already have the new functionality.

Contactless payments can be made using digital wallets, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, or the bank's own application. To do this, simply bring your cell phone close to the payment machine, you don't even need to touch it.

“Pix by Approximation works based on NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, in a dynamic in which the customer brings their cell phone closer to the recipient's device so that the transaction can be carried out”, explains the Central Bank in a note.

When the cell phone is approached, the digital wallet will receive the transaction information from the recipient's device (the machine) and make the payment from the account previously linked by the customer to the digital wallet. “The communication flow between institutions occurs through Open Finance APIs, ensuring the standardization and security of this communication”, adds the note.

Banco do Brasil was one of the first to start contactless testing, but payments can only be made using Cielo machines. Since the 4th, the resource has been available to C6 Bank and PicPay customers, who have subscribed to Google's digital wallet, which was made possible through a partnership with the BC.

Itaú Unibanco also started offering Pix by contact, only on the Network's machines, called orange ones. Soon the functionality will also be available in the platform's digital wallet for customers (see bank schedule below).

Digital wallet model

The customer must have previously linked their account to a digital wallet authorized by the Central Bank (as a payment initiator), in a similar way to what already happens with payment cards.

When approaching the cell phone, the digital wallet will receive the transaction information from the recipient's device (the “machine”) and make the payment from the account previously linked by the customer. The flow of communication between institutions occurs through Open Finance APIs, ensuring the standardization and security of this communication.

The model is open to all institutions that meet the regulatory and operational requirements for standardization and security of Open Finance APIs.

Open model

It is the application of the institution holding the payer's account that, when approaching the cell phone, will receive the transaction information from the recipient's device and will make the payment directly from the account held by the customer.

According to the Central Bank, other models are being studied, including for situations in which the payer is not connected (offline payer).

Itaú Unibanco

Pix by contactless can now be used as payment on 100% of the Network's machines, allowing you to pay via wallet just by touching your cell phone, without the need to open the app at the time of purchase. For individual customers, the functionality is being made available in phases and, in a few weeks, it will be available to all customers.

Bank of Brazil

Banco do Brasil launched Pix by contact on October 11, but only on Cielo machines, in commercial establishments previously authorized for this action in Brasília and São Paulo. The bank plans to expand until the end of November, for customers with an updated application, on smartphones with the Android operating system and NFC technology, for payments via Pix by contactless Cielo machines, model LIO On, spread throughout Brazil.

The availability of the functionality for other Cielo machine models is scheduled to take place by December, and the implementation of Pix by contact for all customers, starting in February 2025.

C6 Bank

Pix by contact is available to bank customers who use Google Wallet on machines enabled to receive payments in this modality. “The bank works on developing the technology and remains open to establishing partnerships with other wallets as soon as they enter into the Open Finance journey without redirection,” it states in a note.

C6 also has a machine and is already carrying out tests to enable Pix by contact on C6 Pay, the bank's machine for corporate customers.

Box

Caixa states that it is preparing to make this new functionality available to its customers in 2025, following the Central Bank's schedule.

“The company is developing a series of actions focused on improving the customer experience with digital services, offering increasingly complete and convenient solutions. One of the highlights is the Payment Initiator, a service that allows, with the customer's prior permission, to make payments and transfers directly from the Caixa app, using amounts from accounts in other banks”, he states in a note.

In addition, solutions are in progress for digital wallets, in order to enable not only Pix by contact, but also solutions for working with Drex and tokenization.

Bradesco

The solution is under development and Bradesco should start testing Pix by contact in a pilot project from January.

Santander

Bank should start in the next few days. At this first moment, the institution must start without redirecting the wallets.

Four years of Pix

The payment method completes four years of operation in Brazil. Pix was created on November 16, 2020. According to the Central Bank, there were 1.6 million transactions that day. Four years later, 227 million transactions were recorded in a single day.

However, the daily average recorded in September is 180 million transactions via Pix. Half of them are between individuals and 40% are for companies.

Furthermore, there are currently 154 million individuals with keys registered with Pix, while the country's adult population is 160 million.