The payments landscape in Brazil has undergone a major transformation in recent years, largely thanks to Pix. Launched in 2020 by the Central Bank of Brazil, this fee-free transfer system is used daily by millions of people to send and receive money instantly. Now, a new development launched and approved by the Central Bank in February is on the scene, as part of the Open Finance agenda: Biometric Pix. This next-generation payment experience further eliminates friction at checkout by utilizing facial or fingerprint authentication to confirm transactions.
Although simple in its user experience, biometric Pix was developed based on a secure process that guarantees ease and security.
Here’s a guide to how biometric Pix works from a user perspective:
– Select biometric Pix: At the time of purchase, the user chooses biometric Pix as the payment method.
– Start registration/payment: The system sends the necessary payment information. If this is the first time the person is using Pix with that bank, the system also initiates a one-time registration process.
– Redirect to banking institution (for registration): The user is securely redirected to their bank’s app interface.
– Single biometric registration: The bank requests biometric validation (face or fingerprint scan) for confirmation. Once validated, the institution securely stores this data for all future payments with that specific bank.
– Return to the app and complete the payment: After this one-time registration (if applicable), or immediately for subsequent payments, the user is redirected back to the merchant’s app. The payment is then authenticated using their biometrics, and the transaction is completed instantly.
Offering unparalleled security, instant convenience, and easy scalability, biometric Pix is perfectly positioned to redefine the way payments are made across Brazil..
Here are four main reasons why:
1) It’s as easy as unlocking your phone
With biometric Pix, making a payment feels as natural as unlocking your device. Instead of juggling multiple apps or copying complicated codes, the entire transaction is completed with a simple facial or fingerprint scan. The experience is similar to Apple Pay or Google Wallet, but with one key difference: there’s no redirection. Users simply scan and pay, all within the same interface.
As César Garcia, CEO of OneKey Payments, explains: “Biometric payments have the potential to surpass Pix as the leading payment method in Brazil across all sectors, from gambling to e-commerce. We’re talking about one click to scan your face or fingerprint, without opening your banking app or copying codes. This reduces the payment process from 2 minutes to less than 10 seconds, increases conversion, and eliminates friction for users who want to enjoy the experience, not fill out forms.”
2) Stronger security where it matters most
Security concerns are understandable, especially in a country where fraud is an ever-present threat. In 2024, more than half of Brazilians reported being victims of financial scams. Almost half of these cases involved credit card fraud, while fraudulent Pix QR codes accounted for a third.
This is one of the main reasons why biometric Pix offers a smarter alternative. Instead of relying on static information like card numbers or Pix keys, it uses biometric authentication. This data is unique to each individual and incredibly difficult to replicate. Most importantly, biometric information is never shared as raw data or images. Instead, it is encrypted and securely processed using advanced protocols that protect user privacy and prevent fraudsters from gaining access.
In practice, this means that biometric Pix not only matches the security of older methods, but also improves upon them. No copying, no falsification, no interception codes. Just a face or fingerprint scan, instantly verified and end-to-end secure.
3) Fewer steps, better results
Payment friction is the silent killer of conversions, and the data proves it. OneKey Payments’ recently released “Disruptive Payments” survey shows that 63% of Latin American consumers abandoned purchases simply because they were asked to enter too much personal information. Meanwhile, more than two-thirds (68%) abandoned purchases when redirected to a second screen to validate the payment. In Brazil, where the average cart abandonment rate exceeds 80%, these small interruptions have a big impact on business.
Biometric Pix eliminates these obstacles by linking biometric data directly to the user’s bank account, allowing payments to be confirmed instantly in a single interface. This means no forms or redirects. As a result, conversion rates with biometric Pix can reach 90%, compared to just 38% with traditional QR code flows. Of course, these conversion rates vary significantly depending on the business model and customer behavior, but processes that require fast transactions, such as gambling and e-commerce, present the most promising growth potential for biometrics.
4) Designed for rapid adoption across industries
Pix Biometric is still gaining traction. However, its core technology was developed to scale in e-commerce environments and any sector that handles payments. Because it integrates directly with Pix’s existing infrastructure (used by millions of people) and leverages the biometric authentication users already know through their smartphones, it doesn’t require new habits or additional equipment.
From retail and transportation to delivery, entertainment, and other segments, any platform that accepts Pix can easily adopt Biometric Pix. This represents enormous potential and a significant threat to traditional card models, leading even major players like Visa and Mastercard to consider reinventing themselves. Visa, for example, has already announced its entry into the open finance market with its own payment institution focused on Payment Initiation via Pix.
Although still in the early stages of adoption, the entry of such relevant players into the open finance and Journey Without Redirection (Biometric Pix) market is likely to significantly boost this solution, making its dissemination a question of “when” — and no longer “if.”
