While the United States still grapples with fragmented communication platforms, Brazil excels in the creative and integrated adoption of WhatsApp. Brazilian companies are far ahead in digital engagement, giving us a strategic advantage to compete and expand in the American market by leveraging our dominance of messaging platforms, especially WhatsApp.
In Brazil, WhatsApp has been uniquely adapted. With this expertise, we have a real opportunity for global growth. I learned in postgraduate studies that there are two main ways to expand a business: offering new products or entering new markets. And Brazil is exceptionally well positioned to do the latter.
Brazil’s digital ecosystem: omnipresent and advanced
According to Statista, 93.4% of internet users in Brazil use WhatsApp. It goes far beyond a simple messaging tool — it is part of daily life. From organizing a barbecue to opening a bank account, WhatsApp is essential for personal and professional communication. For small and medium businesses, it functions as CRM, marketing tool, and even an e-commerce platform.
In the financial sector, banks like Banco do Brasil and Bradesco allow balance inquiries, transfers, and even debt renegotiation via WhatsApp. In 2023, the Central Bank authorized payments via WhatsApp, enabling users to pay for products and services directly in the chat, using Visa and Mastercard cards.
All industries in Brazil have followed this path, using WhatsApp to interact instantly and efficiently with their customers. Here, we are accustomed to quick responses, whether from humans or machines. For us Brazilians, WhatsApp is the heart of our digital ecosystem.
The new rules of engagement: how megatrends are transforming digital experiences
Global trends are changing how customers interact with brands. Companies are increasingly investing in direct communication channels to collect primary data, as privacy and the elimination of third-party cookies are making it difficult to reach potential customers.
Data recently indicate that 22% of mobile internet users in the United States use ad blockers, while in Brazil only 16% have this tool. This shows that consumer choice about when and where to engage with brands is increasing.
Furthermore, customers expect increasingly fast and personalized responses. Interestingly, research indicates that many consumers prefer the speed of a chatbot to lengthy human interactions. In the US, according to Twilio, 89% of consumers already prefer to communicate via messaging. While conversational commerce is already a reality in Brazil, in the US it is still in a growth phase.
In the last decade, all companies wanted to create their own apps. Today, the priority is to ensure presence on customers’ WhatsApp. While American companies still haven’t realized, we’ve already learned that customer loyalty doesn’t depend on an app, but on providing agile and relevant messages on the channels they already use.
Surprise! Most Americans can use RCS – but they don’t even know what it is!
Brazilian companies have a unique opportunity in the United States, as we have mastered the art of creating exceptional experiences with Rich Communication Services (RCS). While WhatsApp already has over 100 million monthly active users in the country, it still does not lead the market. RCS, on the other hand, has been consolidating. Currently, most smartphones sold in the United States, both Android and iOS, are RCS compatible, as long as they are up to date and operate with carriers that support this technology.
Android represents about 46% of the smartphone market in the US, according to Canalys data, and the vast majority of modern Android devices have had RCS support since 2017. The iPhone, which dominates 54% of the market, incorporated RCS in iOS 18, released in September 2024. As a result, virtually all Americans with cell phones already have access to RCS.
But why is this happening now? Although RCS was developed in 2007, its adoption was slow, mainly due to fragmentation among carriers and Apple’s resistance. This scenario began to change when Google standardized the service, and Apple finally yielded to market pressure in 2024. Additionally, antitrust investigations in both the United States and Europe helped to accelerate RCS adoption by promoting compatibility across platforms.
Technological leaps and success stories in Brazil
Brazil’s dominance in digital platforms is not limited to WhatsApp. Pix, launched by the Central Bank, revolutionized instant payments and surpassed American alternatives in speed, accessibility, and coverage. While Pix is free and universal, American systems are still fragmented and often charged.
In my experience, both in Brazil and the USA, I still see American companies sending checks by mail monthly. The Brazilian digital ecosystem for restaurant payments and B2B companies is three to five years ahead of the American.
The Brazilian Paradox of Innovation
Despite advances in some areas, Brazil also has its challenges. E-commerce, for example, took time to gain strength due to logistical difficulties and limited internet infrastructure in the past. Only when the government realized it could boost adoption with initiatives like Pix did the scenario start to change rapidly.
Streaming services, such as Globoplay and Netflix, faced similar barriers to reach the Brazilian audience. However, the creativity and adaptability of Brazilians helped overcome these challenges, often resulting in more innovative solutions.
Global Communication Platforms: A Comparison
The penetration rate of WhatsApp in Brazil, at 93.4%, surpasses that of any other similar platform in the world. In China, WeChat has around 80% penetration, according to Statista, and functions as a complete ecosystem for communication and payments. In Australia, a survey by Hootsuite and We Are Social reveals that Facebook Messenger leads with 83% adoption. However, in Brazil, the centralization on WhatsApp has created a highly efficient and connected digital environment.
RCS (Rich Communications Service) Solutions Dominating Global Markets: A Visual Analysis of Regional Preferences
With the advancement of RCS in the US, Brazilian companies have a unique opportunity to apply their expertise in a growing market. This movement not only drives global innovation but also strengthens our position as a leader in digital engagement. The future of business communication will be shaped by those who can leverage this transition and provide experiences that meet the new consumer expectations.
