UnionPay to link Chinese mobile wallets with Brazil's instant payment system Pix

UnionPay International announced a test program that would integrate Chinese mobile payment applications with Brazil’s Pix system, allowing tourists to pay by scanning a QR code at any participating merchant. The scheme initially targets UnionPay’s own app and Chinese bank apps linked to its platform, with plans to expand to additional digital wallets in its worldwide network, according to Chinese state media. Pix, introduced by Brazil’s central bank in November 2020, has become the country’s primary method for moving money, reaching about 15 million merchants and offering free, 24-hour transfers.

The service’s rapid adoption has pushed cash and checks to the margins of the economy. U.S. card companies argue that the central bank’s combined regulatory and operational control of Pix creates an uneven playing field. The pilot comes weeks after Washington imposed tariffs on the Pix system as part of a broader trade dispute with Brazil.