Nium secures payment institution license in Brazil paving the way for direct operations and real-time payments

Nium, a leading global infrastructure for real-time cross-border payments, has reached a significant milestone by securing a Payment Institution (PI) license from the Central Bank of Brazil. Announced on October 27, 2025, this formal authorization marks a major step in the company’s continued expansion across Latin America, positioning Brazil as a “critical node” in its global infrastructure.

While Nium already served Brazilian clients through its existing global licenses, the new local PI authorization grants the ability to onboard and operate directly in Brazil. This transition from global to deeply local operation offers several strategic advantages:

• Enhanced Operational Efficiency: It allows Nium to streamline operations, reduce reliance on intermediaries, and offer greater autonomy and efficiency in the Brazilian market.
• Accelerated Growth: The move is expected to accelerate the growth of both domestic and cross-border pay-in and payout capabilities.
• Locally Regulated Services: The license enables Nium to offer locally regulated payment accounts and services, including PIX, TEDs, boletos, and the issuance of prepaid cards once operational.

Prajit Nanu, Founder and CEO of Nium, emphasized that the regulatory approval “validates our commitment to building deeply local solutions in the world’s fastest-growing markets”. The license provides the “foundation to deliver seamless domestic and international money movement for businesses in Brazil” with the expected speed and compliance.

The timing is strategic, as Brazil is recognized as one of the most dynamic real-time payment markets in the world. The country is effectively “defining the future of payments” and setting the pace for how money moves locally and globally.

Nium’s expansion of local capabilities is a direct alignment with this leadership. The company noted that although the USD remains dominant in global B2B Swift transactions, over 95% of its payments are now processed over local rails. This focus on local rails in Brazil translates to:

• Faster and more efficient transactions for clients.
• The added benefit of lower costs and greater transparency.

This local investment reinforces Nium’s long-term commitment to the region. In a testament to Latin America’s strategic role, clients in the region accounted for 18% of Nium’s total transactions in 2025.

As part of its next phase in Brazil, Nium is actively:

• Integrating into PIX.
• Finalizing partnerships with local financial institutions to bring its services to market.

Looking ahead, Nium plans to further enhance its local cross-border capabilities and deliver a seamless end-to-end global solution by seeking to obtain a foreign exchange (FX) license.

The Payment Institution license is clearly a fundamental building block, reflecting Nium’s belief in Brazil’s potential and its commitment to enabling seamless, real-time payments across Latin America and beyond.