What is Pix?
Founded in 2020 by the Central Bank of Brazil (Banco Central), Pix is an instant payment method platform that enables customers to complete transactions and bank transfers fast and with ease. Known for its around-the-clock availability and speediness in transaction processing, Pix allows Brazilian consumers with savings or prepaid payment accounts to make payments (both domestic and cross-border) or transfer funds in seconds.
This payment solution is linked to over 700 financial institutions while it processed a record-breaking 40 million payments in a single day shortly after its launch. By selecting Pix at checkout in-store or at the online page, users can either scan a QR code via their smartphones or input a Pix code (or else, the Pix key) into their banking or digital wallet apps.
How does Pix work?
Mobile
At online checkout, the customer chooses Pix from the available payment options. Once redirected to their banking app and selecting Pix, the consumer is prompted to scan a QR code or copy and paste the EMV code presented by the merchant. Upon transaction completion, the customer receives a confirmation from their banking app while the merchant is also notified about the transaction status.
Desktop
Once the customer reaches the checkout page, they need to select Pix from the given payment methods. Following the onscreen instructions in their secure banking environment, the customer chooses the option to scan a QR code or copy the code and paste it into the app to validate and complete the payment. At the end of their shopping journey, the consumer may return to the payment success URL of the merchant’s website.What verticals does Pix cover?
Through Pix, merchants can offer their customers payment functionalities, such as QR codes, that accommodate various industries – from retail and general eCommerce to forex, travel, and gambling. As a result, they're better placed to provide smooth and safe payment processing within a reliable payment channel.
How big is Pix’s penetration in the market?
Data from Statista demonstrates that Latin America (LATAM) dominated 30% of the global eCommerce market as of June 2021, with more and more consumers embracing digital payments. The regional strides with digitalisation are particularly prominent in Brazil given that it accounted for 53.7% of the LATAM eCommerce revenue in 2020, according to emerchantpay’s Global Payments Outlook 2022 report.
Therefore, it’s not surprising that Pix is gaining ground in the payments ecosystem of that region. By the end of February 2022, 114 million Brazilians (or 67% of the country's population) had either made or received a Pix transaction with an approximate value of $1.36 trillion. Pix payments have surpassed many payment methods in Brazil, including pre-paid cards, and reached the level of debit and credit cards in the country with over 320 million transactions. Simultaneously, Pix transfers were made by 50 million users who had not initiated any account-to-account transfers in the 12 months prior to the release of Pix. This may suggest that Pix contributed to the proliferation of digital payment users.
Benefits of using Pix
The main benefits of Pix include, but are not limited to:
- Zero cost for consumers – despite carrying some fees for merchants offering this payment solution, it’s free of charge for users.
- Agility and simplicity in shopping experience – initiating payments with Pix is quick and easy, as users simply need to scan a QR code or copy and paste the Pix key.
- Payment guarantee with real-time confirmation – Pix allows businesses to better manage their cash flow, as funds become available almost immediately and notify the end user (both consumer and merchant) of the transaction completion.
- No bank account required – users do not need a bank account to use Pix. They’re able to use payment services provided by any institution supporting this payment solution, including a digital wallet.
- Enhanced security during buying process – Pix payments are less susceptible to fraud, as they can be made directly on the user’s smartphone without having to disclose sensitive credit card or banking details online or at the point of sales in person.
- Convenience – with unbanked users wanting to make online purchases.
Accepting Pix payments with emerchantpay
Known for its speediness, low cost and safety, Pix has conquered Brazilians’ payment preferences and turned into a tool of financial access for any kind of consumer.
Partnering with a trusted and experienced payments service provider such as emerchantpay can help you navigate regional payment behaviour. Via our global acquiring network and deep understanding of the LATAM market, we can support businesses of any size and vertical to penetrate this dynamic region and improve their payments performance.
Interested in integrating Pix into your payment system and boosting your conversions? Contact our team of payment experts and do it today.