Updated April 2026 · 5 min read

How to use Wise for international transfers to and from Brazil

Send money to and from Brazil using Wise. How to set it up with your CPF, real exchange rates, and fees explained.

Why Wise is the default for expats in Brazil

Wise (formerly TransferWise) offers the real mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees. For sending money between your home country and Brazil, it is almost always the cheapest option.

With a CPF, you can create a Wise account that is fully verified for Brazilian transactions. This unlocks Pix payments directly to and from your Wise account, making it easy to move money between currencies.

Setting up Wise with your CPF

Go to wise.com and create an account (or use your existing one). Add your Brazilian details:

1. Verify your identity with your passport 2. Add your CPF number to your profile 3. Add your Brazilian bank details (Nubank, Inter, etc.) as a recipient 4. Your Wise account gets a Pix key that you can use to receive BRL

Once set up, you can: - Send money from abroad to your Brazilian bank via Pix (arrives in seconds) - Send reais from Brazil to your home country bank account - Hold and convert multiple currencies in your Wise balance - Use the Wise debit card for purchases in any currency

Fees and exchange rates

Wise charges a percentage fee on each transfer, typically 0.5-1.5% depending on the currency pair and payment method. The exchange rate is always the real mid-market rate with no markup.

Compared to alternatives: - Banks: Charge 3-5% spread on exchange rates plus fixed fees. Avoid. - PayPal: 2-4% exchange rate markup. Expensive. - Remitly: Competitive for some corridors, especially USD to BRL. Worth comparing. - Western Union: Higher fees but available for cash pickup. Only useful if the recipient does not have a bank account.

For regular transfers, Wise consistently wins on total cost.

Tax implications

Receiving money from abroad into Brazil may trigger IOF (Imposto sobre Operacoes Financeiras), a tax of 0.38-1.1% depending on the type of transfer. This is charged automatically.

If you are a tax resident of Brazil, foreign income must be declared on your annual tax return (IRPF). If you are a non-resident, different rules apply. Consult a Brazilian accountant (contador) who has experience with foreign nationals, they are common in SP and RJ.

Wise provides transaction statements that make tax reporting straightforward.