E-commerce reaches US$ 69.2 billion in 2026, but tight margins worry

Brazilian e-commerce starts 2026 with consistent growth, although not always accompanied by profitability. According to Mordor Intelligence, e-commerce in the country should move about US$ 69.2 billion this year, driven by the consolidation of Pix, expansion of Open Finance and acceleration of payment flows. Despite the increase in sales, the company UnicoPag,payment gateway warns that narrow margins, high acquisition costs and reliance on integrated financial systems can compromise profitability.

The accelerated advancement of the industry and the complexity of new payment flows make financial monitoring increasingly crucial. Hugo Venda, CEO of UnicoPag, Faster“payments and more fluid buying journeys increase transacted volume. Without financial control, efficient reconciliation and real-time data analysis, increased billing can mask operational losses, especially in a scenario of high Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) and intense competition”, he points out. 

The need for attention intensifies with the integration between Pix and Open Finance, regulated by the Central Bank, which has expanded the use of transaction initiators, especially in recurring models. These flows reduce manual steps, but generate greater volume of sensitive data and increase the complexity of reconciliations, requiring integration between financial management, operation and means of payment. Projections from Ebanx indicate that Pix should respond for 40% of online payments in the country by the end of the year. 

According to Venda, rapid and unmonitored growth is one of the main challenges of the sector. “Selling more does not necessarily mean earning more. Narrow margins and hidden costs can erode profit before it is even perceived”. He points out that, in a scenario of increasing automation, companies without integration between management, operation and means of payment are more exposed to errors, fraud and decisions based on incomplete data.

The expert also points out opportunities for those who adopt an integrated vision: “When management, payment and data analysis go hand in hand, it is possible to identify invisible points of loss, optimize cash flow and make strategic decisions” Tools that offer financial predictability and real-time monitoring allow companies to adjust campaigns, reduce acquisition costs and adapt prices without compromising margin.

To support digital companies, UnicoPag has structured an ecosystem that brings together Unicodrop, Unicopag and UnicoHub.“These integrated solutions allow to predict cash flows, reduce operational losses and increase efficiency at the time of payment, transforming growth into sustainable results”, says Venda. He reinforces that, in the current scenario, the differential will not only be in sales, but in the ability to control costs, automate processes safely and interpret financial data quickly.