How to buy bitcoin in Brazil

Is buying bitcoin legal in Brazil

Buying bitcoin is legal in Brazil. Crypto assets are recognised as virtual assets under Law 14.478/2022, the legal framework for virtual assets that came into force in 2023, although bitcoin is not legal tender and the real remains the only official currency, as of January 2026. Residents can lawfully buy, hold, and sell bitcoin. Decree 11.563/2023 named Banco Central do Brasil (BCB) as the regulator of the virtual asset market, with the Comissao de Valores Mobiliarios (CVM) overseeing tokens that qualify as securities.

The platforms you buy through are now regulated. Under the BCB authorisation framework published through resolutions on 10 November 2025 and effective from 2 February 2026, every exchange, broker, custodian, and intermediary that provides virtual asset services in Brazil must obtain prior authorisation from the central bank, hold minimum capital, segregate client assets, apply anti money laundering controls, and undergo independent audits. Existing operators were given a transition window to apply, so during 2026 a platform may be authorised or still in the authorisation process. Confirming where a platform sits is the first thing to check.

How to buy bitcoin compliantly

Choose an authorised platform

Residents typically buy bitcoin through local platforms such as Mercado Bitcoin and Bitso or through major international exchanges including Binance, Coinbase, and Kraken, all of which have served Brazil, as of January 2026. Check that the platform is authorised or in the BCB authorisation process, supports deposits and withdrawals through Brazilian banking and PIX, and supplies clear statements you can use for tax reporting.

Verify your identity and fund in reais

Authorised platforms run know your customer checks using your CPF and identity documents, then let you deposit reais by PIX or bank transfer before you place an order. Keeping records of each purchase, including the date, amount, and price, makes later tax reporting far simpler.

Holding in self custody

You may move bitcoin to a self hosted wallet that you control. Note that under the BCB framework the provision of services involving transfers to or from self hosted wallets falls within Brazil's foreign exchange rules, and the service provider is required to identify the wallet owner. Self custody itself is lawful, but the platform side of the transfer carries these obligations, as of January 2026.

Tax when you buy and sell

Not tax advice, verify before filing. Buying and simply holding bitcoin does not trigger tax. Tax arises when you dispose of it, which Receita Federal do Brasil (RFB) treats as a capital gain. As of January 2026, an individual's total crypto disposals up to R$35,000 in a calendar month are exempt, and gains above that threshold follow progressive rates from 15 percent up to 22.5 percent depending on the size of the gain. A 2025 Provisional Measure proposed a single flat rate and the removal of the monthly exemption but did not take effect, so the progressive regime remains operative, a point worth confirming. See the Brazil tax page for the full detail.

Regulator and sources

• Banco Central do Brasil (BCB) the virtual asset service provider authorisation framework effective 2 February 2026, including capital, audit, and anti money laundering requirements, current to June 2026.
• Receita Federal do Brasil (RFB) the capital gains treatment of crypto disposals and the R$35,000 monthly exemption, plus Normative Instruction 1.888/2019 reporting.
• Comissao de Valores Mobiliarios (CVM) oversight of crypto assets that qualify as securities.

Frequently asked questions

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