With technological advancement in the global financial market, crypto assets and cryptocurrencies are increasingly helping companies and economies to enter the digital world.However, many people still confuse these two concepts, which, although related, bring important differences. 

“The two solutions are linked to the new era of decentralization of transactions and investments, but not necessarily one is the same as the other, especially when we look at the possibilities of” applications, says the CEO of Pinbank, one-stop-bank-provider with a complete ecosystem of financial solutions, Felipe Negri.

Main characteristics

Basically, a crypto asset is a crypto-protected digital asset. Among the options in this category are cryptocurrencies, but there are also alternatives such as NFTs (the acronym for “Non-Fungible”), stablecoins and utility tokens.

When we talk only about crypto assets, we are discussing a more abstract idea, because they do not depend on fiat currencies to determine their” value, says Negri.“Ou that is, they are assets that follow the market in a totally disconnected way from a government model or a specific strategy, depending much more on supply and demand”, he adds.

Cryptocurrencies have a value backed by real currencies, which, in turn, bring processes guaranteed by governments. One of the main examples is BTC (Bitcoin); according to CoinMarketCap, this even exceeded the price of US$ 85 thousand in mid-April and increasingly becomes an option accepted by different investors and organizations.

“In the case of cryptocurrencies, which are backed by natural currencies, the offer does not happen in a disconnected way”, explains the CEO of Pinbank.“For this reason, there is a movement of the market as a whole to embrace this cryptoactive, since it is a solution to uncomplicate and optimize payments and transfers around the world”, he adds.

Evolution in Brazil

In Brazil, the crypto market is heated, which can be identified by the performance of cryptocurrencies.Income data reinforces this reality by revealing that these assets moved about R$ 248 billion between January and September 2024.  

On the other hand, Negri points out that there is a great challenge in the country to make the use of these alternatives clearer.“New technologies always need to be applied to solve pain, which in this case refer to the prevention of financial risks.This means that both governments need to educate the population on the subject and accelerate their regulations, as companies must create services to reduce rates and improve the experiences of users”.

The executive also emphasizes that the development of the crypto segment can contribute to Brazil facing the fiscal “CAos”.“Searching to face the volatility of the exchange through innovation is an efficient way to improve commercial operations and even investment strategies, without being at the mercy of global economic uncertainties. That is, the market has a much greater chance of achieving sustainable growth with the digitization of” processes, he concludes.

The Pix automatic it will revolutionize the way the market deals with recurring charges in Brazil, and payment orchestrators play a key role in this scenario. Unlike direct integration with banks, it is often complex and limited ^O these gateways offer an agile and efficient solution, allowing businesses of all sizes to access multiple automatic Pix vendors with a single integration. The flexibility presented not only reduces operating costs, how ensures greater resilience to the system.

In the company I lead, for example, technology constantly monitors supplier performance, automatically switching to an alternative provider in case of instabilities & IT is a business-critical differentiator that relies on predictable receivables, all without any impact or action required by the end customer.

Challenges and differentials of the automatic Pix

One of the biggest technical challenges of the automatic Pix is dealing with situations where the payer does not have enough balance or when the amount exceeds the pre-defined limit. The system makes up to three billing attempts every other day in a seven-day window after the scheduled date, significantly increasing the chances of success.When the payment is still not completed, the payment is it is essential to communicate with the customer and offer alternatives such as payment links with credit card or NuPay options. The approach not only minimizes default, as well improves user experience, which can choose the most convenient way to pay off the debt.

Now, when compared to traditional methods, the competitive advantages of the automatic Pix are evident. While boletos require manual action of the payer with variable costs from R$ 1.50 to R$ 9.00 per transaction, the Pix is settled instantly, 24/7, including weekends and holidays 5 a striking contrast with the two to seven business days of the tickets or 30 days of the credit card.For high amounts such as rents or school fees, a savings with fees is even more significant compared to the percentages charged by cards.Automatic debit, in turn, faces the complexity of specific banking integrations Pix automatic thus emerges as a cheaper, faster and more efficient alternative, especially to optimize cash flow.

Even sectors such as education, utilities and subscriptions have greater potential for adopting the method, but all periodic billing can benefit. It is important to note that while new businesses adopt the automatic Pix as a first option, the migration of consolidated bases will be gradual & especially relevant for companies with low-value collections, where the economy with fees is more impactful.

Safety is another difference: each transaction is authenticated by the paying bank with password or biometrics.This ensures that the one who authorizes the automatic Pix is in fact the owner of the bank account used.It also allows the payer to set a maximum limit for the collection, which the automatic debit and credit card payment traditionally do not offer.

Payment method that complements

In the future, the Automatic Pix tends to supplement the credit card (which remains attractive for benefits such as points), but should progressively replace slips and automatic debits.In addition to recurring charges, applications such as rent and pro-labore also benefit.

For small businesses still reluctant, the message is clear: the economy with fees and the improvement in cash flow by immediate settlement are competitive advantages that no entrepreneur can ignore. The automatic Pix is not only a technological evolution, it is the new basis for efficient financial management in Brazil.

Even with a solid resume, many professionals feel they are not moving forward.The problem may lie in a lack of visibility, the right skills and intentional action.

Being stuck in a career, even with a good track record, is more common than it seems.

“You feel that you deliver results, have experience, but are not recognized. Meanwhile, others, apparently less prepared, pass in front of you”, says Virgilio Marques dos Santos, founding partner of FM2S Education and Consulting, PhD by Unicamp and career manager.

Santos explains that what is missing for those who are in this situation is not an unfathomable mystery.In most cases, it is three main factors: visibility (getting the right people to realize your value), and key skills (practical skills that the market requires today, such as communication, management and strategic decision making) and intentional action (stop waiting and start building the desired future). “The problem is that many professionals are afraid to take this step. It is more comfortable to blame the environment, the boss or the difficult moment of the market. However, those who change really understand that the power of transformation begins within themselves”, he analyzes.

According to Santos, stagnation at work is usually related to conformism to the current situation and the belief that only fulfilling tasks is enough. “Today, only the diploma is not enough. The differential is to show ability to solve problems, lead in uncertain scenarios and create innovative solutions“, says.

Check out five practical strategies indicated by Santos to unlock the career and build new paths:

1. Reinvent your routine: propose new solutions to old problems.It may be something simple, but it shows initiative and attention to what needs to change;

2. Learn something new and applicable: courses that combine theory and practice, focusing on day-to-day tools such as leadership, agile methodologies or team management tend to generate immediate impact;

3. Broaden your network of contacts: talking to professionals outside your circle can reveal opportunities and bring new ideas.The missing key to your turn may be with someone you do not know yet;

4. Show what you do: knowing how to communicate results is essential.“Reports, presentations or even informal conversations are valuable moments to highlight its impact”, reinforces Santos;

5. Face discomfort: getting out of place takes effort.It can be a change of area, a hard feedback or an unexpected challenge.

For the manager, stagnation is a phase that requires analysis and strategic action. “The key to getting out of the impasse is the ability to reevaluate one's own trajectory and take concrete steps to move forward, without waiting for circumstances to change on their own.

It is common for self-employed professionals and entrepreneurs to get excited when seeing the full agenda or long lines of customers waiting for service. However, according to Sebrae, about 30% of micro and small companies with high sales volume still suffer from tight margins, precisely because of the lack of robust financial control. What at first glance seems successful may, in practice, not convert into enough profit to maintain the sustainability of the business.

“There is a confusion between billing and profitability. In many cases, the professional ends the month exhausted, but without seeing this effort reflected in the bank balance”, explains accountant Danilo Fermino, Flow Accounting. He points out that fixed expenses and variables such as taxes, charges and inputs (devour much of the revenue, and the entrepreneur ends up not knowing how to price correctly, which generates imbalance in the accounts.

This scenario affects workers from various areas, such as retailers, consultants and service providers in general. The situation can be aggravated by the lack of prior planning and careful analysis of these variable and fixed costs.“A solution is to organize through cash flow reports, setting profit margin goals and renegotiation with” suppliers, says Fermino.

In the specific case of dentists, the difficulty is accentuated. Many graduates leave the universities completely fit in the technical part, but without any preparation in administration of clinics or offices. At this time, Flow Accounting enters to guide financial management, helping to price treatments, manage inputs, keep taxes up to date and, above all, ensure that all clinical effort becomes a real result. “Our focus is to turn these professionals into true dentistry entrepreneurs, so that they are not hostage to the excess hours worked with little remuneration”, says Danilo.

According to a survey by the Federal Council of Dentistry, Brazil now has more than 350 thousand dentists.Many of them face the routine of crowded offices, but accumulate physical and financial wear for not having a proper planning and accounting monitoring. Fermino points out that the same goes for other sectors: managing well the inflows and outflows of resources is the only way to, in fact, improve profitability.

Thus, the main lesson is clear: as important as attracting customers is to understand how each sale impacts the health of the business. Investing in specialized accounting consulting, such as that offered by Flow Accounting, can be the decisive factor to convert the intense movement into concrete results. After all, every professional effort deserves to be well rewarded & this only happens when financial management becomes a priority.