By Brazil Stock Guide – Pix is running neck and neck with credit cards as Brazil’s preferred payment method for online shopping, according to a study released Thursday (26) by Visa Conecta, the innovation arm of Visa Inc. (NYSE: V).
The survey, marking 30 years of e-commerce in Brazil, shows that 47% of consumers used a credit card in their most recent online purchase, compared with 45% who chose Pix, the instant payment system launched by Brazil’s central bank.
Installment payments remain the key driver for credit card usage, cited by 53% of respondents. Habit was mentioned by 40%, while 38% pointed to financial control as a deciding factor.
Pix, however, has reached broad adoption in digital commerce. Some 95% of respondents said they have used the system for online transactions. Satisfaction with Pix stood at 78%, slightly above the 74% recorded for credit cards.
Fraud remains a concern. The study found that 62% of Brazilians reported experiencing fraud involving Pix, compared with 36% for credit cards. Satisfaction with reimbursement processes reached 61%.
Operational friction also affects Pix usage. Many consumers still need to leave the retailer’s checkout environment to complete payment within their banking app. About 87% said completing a transfer in just a few seconds would be attractive, while 70% expressed willingness to link their bank details directly to merchants to streamline transactions.
Online shopping is now embedded in consumer routines. Roughly 34% of respondents make purchases at least once a week, rising to 45% among younger consumers. Another 52% shop online either biweekly or monthly.
Most transactions take place in the afternoon (38%) and evening (37%). Checkout remains a critical bottleneck: 58% of shoppers who abandoned a purchase did so at the payment stage. Of those, 37% dropped off when selecting a payment method and 21% during data entry or confirmation.