Inclusion and speed: the revolution of e-commerce Brazil – Asia

E-commerce has ceased to be a trend and has become 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 continues to be the absolute powerhouse of the sector. In 2024, the country generated approximately US$1.9 trillion in e-commerce, setting standards for logistics efficiency, digital wallets, and superapps that have become global benchmarks. This influence is not merely numerical: it is cultural and technological, a model of how instant payments and digital integrations can support large-scale consumption.

Brazil, in turn, stands out as a promise and regional leader. The national e-commerce market surpassed US$346 billion in 2024, with expectations of exceeding US$586 billion by 2027. Another study projects nearly US$1.5 trillion by 2033, solidifying the country as the digital hub of Latin America. The driving force behind this expansion is Pix, which already accounts for about 40% of online purchases and whose payment initiations jumped from R$624 million in 2023 to R$3.2 billion in 2024, a growth of over 400%.

But where there is scale, risks arise. Brazil-Asia integration will only be sustainable if the issue of cybersecurity occupies the center of the agenda. Data leaks, fraud, and digital attacks are increasing in proportion to the volume of transactions. The response requires more than just laws and regulation: it is necessary to invest in secure APIs, end-to-end encryption, real-time monitoring, and machine learning for fraud detection. 

The LGPD in Brazil and the advancement of Open Finance, which already encompasses more than 103 million data sharing authorizations, provide solid foundations for consumers to confidently purchase from Asian retailers.

Speed is another differentiator. If in the past an international card was synonymous with bureaucracy and high fees, today Pix and digital wallets offer instant settlement, reducing exchange barriers and increasing conversion. This experience brings Brazilian consumers closer to the Asian reality, where paying with a QR code or via superapp is routine.

Complete financial inclusion rounds out the tripod. About 40 million Brazilians still live in a state of underbanking, but they already use Pix and digital wallets in their daily lives. By allowing these consumers to participate in international trade without relying on credit cards, we create an unprecedented market, democratizing access to global goods and services. For Asian companies, accepting local payment methods is more than just adaptation: it’s a strategy to win millions of new customers.

We are presented with a historic opportunity. China shows the way in scale and efficiency; Brazil demonstrates how regulatory innovation and a diversity of payment methods can generate inclusion. The challenge is to maintain a solid bridge, combining robust security, transactions in seconds, and access for all.

In the integration of Brazil and Asia, we are not only talking about digital transactions. We are talking about trust, shared economic futures, and a global market that increasingly operates in real-time.