E-commerce has moved from a trend to a global economic engine. And on the Brazil-Asia route, security, speed, and financial inclusion are the pillars of an integration that redefines markets and brings consumers from two continents closer together.
China maintains its absolute dominance in the sector. In 2024, the country generated approximately US$1.9 trillion in e-commerce, setting standards for logistical efficiency, digital wallets, and superapps that have become global benchmarks. This influence is not just numerical; it's cultural and technological, a model of how instant payments and digital integrations can support large-scale consumption.
Brazil, in turn, emerges as a regional promise and leader. The national e-commerce market surpassed US$1 trillion 346 billion in 2024, with projections to exceed US$1 trillion 586 billion by 2027. Another study projects nearly US$1.5 trillion in 2033, solidifying the country as a digital hub for Latin America. Driving this expansion is Pix, which already accounts for approximately 40 percent of online purchases, and whose payment initiations jumped from R$1 trillion 624 million in 2023 to R$1 trillion 3.2 billion in 2024, a growth exceeding 400 percent.
But where there's scale, risks emerge. Brazil-Asia integration will only be sustainable if cybersecurity occupies center stage on the agenda. Data breaches, fraud, and digital attacks are growing at the same rate as the volume of transactions. The response requires more than just laws and regulations: it demands investment in secure APIs, end-to-end encryption, real-time monitoring, and machine learning for fraud detection.
Brazil's LGPD and the advancement of Open Finance, which already boasts over 103 million data-sharing authorizations, provide a solid foundation for consumers to confidently buy from Asian retailers.
Speed is another differentiator. Previously, an international card was synonymous with bureaucracy and high fees, but today Pix and digital wallets offer instant settlement, reducing exchange barriers and increasing conversion. This experience brings the Brazilian consumer closer to the Asian reality, where paying with QR codes or via superapps is commonplace.
Full financial inclusion completes the triad. About 40 million Brazilians still live in a state of under-banking, but already use Pix and digital wallets in their daily lives. By allowing these consumers to participate in international commerce without relying on credit cards, we create a novel market, democratizing access to global goods and services. For Asian businesses, accepting local payment methods is more than adaptation; it's a strategy to win millions of new customers.
We stand before a historic opportunity. China shows the path of scale and efficiency; Brazil demonstrates how regulatory innovation and diverse payment methods can generate inclusion. The challenge is to maintain a strong bridge, combining robust security, transactions in seconds, and access for all.
In the integration of Brazil and Asia, we're not just talking about digital transactions. We're talking about trust, a shared economic future, and a global market that increasingly operates in real time.