Cheapest way to send money from the US to Brazil

Who sends money from the US to Brazil

Common senders: workers supporting family, diaspora communities sending regular monthly support, and people paying bills back home.

About this corridor

Brazilians in Florida, Massachusetts and New Jersey mostly send to Pix keys now: the recipient shares a CPF, phone number or email, and the money lands in seconds once the provider converts. Remember that Brazilian IOF is taken on the conversion, so the amount you are quoted should already reflect it.

Worked example: sending 500 USD

Using the ECB reference rate on 2026-10-07, 1 USD = 5.0061 BRL, our estimate model gives these results for sending 500 USD:

In this example Revolut delivers roughly 140.21 BRL more than a typical bank wire. Rates move daily and providers change pricing, so treat this as an illustration from our model; the live calculator above and the provider's own quote are what count. See how we estimate.

Sending to Brazil: what to know

• Payout options: Brazilian bank accounts and, on many providers, Pix keys (CPF, phone or email).
• Pix delivery is fast and widely supported; the recipient just shares a Pix key.
• The paying institution will usually need the recipient's CPF.

Rules and limits

In the US: Under the CFPB Remittance Transfer Rule, US providers must disclose the exchange rate, fees and the amount to be received before you pay, and you can generally cancel for free within 30 minutes. Since 1 January 2026 a 1% federal excise tax applies to transfers you pay for with cash, a money order, a cashier's check or a similar physical instrument; transfers funded from a US bank account or a US-issued debit or credit card are exempt. Gifts to one person above the annual gift-tax exclusion ($19,000 for 2025 and 2026) require a Form 709 filing, though tax is rarely due; ask a tax professional.

In Brazil: Incoming transfers are foreign-exchange operations handled by institutions authorised by the Banco Central do Brasil. IOF tax applies to the conversion in Brazil (generally 0.38% on incoming personal transfers; check the current rate).

How to pick the cheapest option

1. Compare the amount received, not the fee. "Zero fee" offers usually hide their cost in the rate. How markups work.
2. Small amounts: watch fixed fees. Large amounts: watch the markup.
3. Avoid intermediary deductions. SWIFT wires can lose $10–30 in transit. Why.