Business accounts: Brazil

Updated 5 October 2026

An honest assessment before work starts, the quote is fixed in writing.

A company account in Brazil is opened at a local bank supervised by the Central Bank of Brazil. The bank works with a Brazilian company that has a corporate tax number from the Federal Revenue Service and registration with the state commercial registry. A foreign company without Brazilian registration will not get an account for operations in the country, so a Brazilian limited company or corporation is set up first.

Requirements for a foreign founder

• Founder's tax number. A foreign individual obtains an individual taxpayer number; a foreign company obtains a Brazilian corporate tax number.
• Representative in Brazil. A founder living abroad appoints a resident representative with a power of attorney to receive documents from the tax authority and courts.
• Resident administrator. The company must be managed by someone living in Brazil: a citizen or a foreigner with residence.
• Registration of foreign investment in the Central Bank system, under the new foreign exchange rules for investments from $100,000.

Without these steps the bank will not open an account, and money from abroad cannot be lawfully credited to capital. Formation is covered on our Brazil company formation page.

What the bank checks

• articles of association and a commercial registry extract;
• the company's tax number and those of the founders and administrator;
• the power of attorney of the foreign founder's representative;
• ultimate owners and origin of capital;
• business description, contracts, expected turnover and payment countries.

Taxes the bank will see

• Corporate income tax: 15% plus a 10% surcharge on annual profit over 240,000 reais, about $48,200, and a 9% social contribution on profit. Together about 34%.
• The simplified small-business regime is not available to a company with a founder living abroad.
• Consumption tax. 2026 is the test period of the new federal and regional consumption tax that will gradually replace the old turnover taxes.

Protection of funds

The Credit Guarantee Fund protects deposits up to 250,000 reais, about $50,200, per client per bank, companies included. Dollar amounts use the European Central Bank rate of 5 October 2026, about 4.98 reais per dollar.

Domestic and cross-border payments

Within Brazil companies send and receive money through the Central Bank's instant payment system: it runs around the clock, and the company's tax number can serve as the key for receiving payments. Payments abroad and from abroad go only through a foreign exchange contract with a bank authorised for foreign exchange. The bank checks the basis of every payment, such as a contract, invoice, or import or export declaration, so transaction documents are prepared in advance.

How opening works

1. Tax numbers for the founders and appointment of a resident representative.
2. Company registration with the commercial registry and its tax number.
3. Bank file and origin of capital.
4. Account opening and instant payments setup.
5. Paying in capital from abroad through a foreign exchange contract, and registering the investment with the Central Bank where required.

Why banks refuse

• No resident administrator or representative of the foreign founder.
• Capital arrived from abroad without a foreign exchange contract and registration.
• Ultimate owners not disclosed.
• The company's activity is not documented.

What we do

Murblz specialists obtain the founders' tax numbers, find a representative and resident administrator, register the company with locally licensed partners, prepare the bank file, and support the capital injection and investment registration. We quote the cost after a short consultation; the decision always rests with the bank.

What we do

• Corporate account - opening assistance

See also

Company formation · Personal account · Investment property · Country taxes · All country programs

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