Inclusion and speed: the e-commerce revolution in Brazil-Asia

E-commerce has evolved 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 on 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 dominance is not just numerical; it's cultural and technological, a model for how instant payments and digital integrations can underpin large-scale consumption.

Brazil, in turn, emerges as a regional promise and leader. The national e-commerce market surpassed US$1.346 trillion in 2024, with expectations of exceeding US$1.586 trillion by 2027. Another study projects nearly US$1.5 trillion by 2033, solidifying the country as a digital hub for Latin America. The engine of this expansion is Pix, which already accounts for approximately 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. Integration between Brazil and Asia will only be sustainable if cybersecurity occupies center stage on the agenda. Data breaches, fraud, and digital attacks grow in proportion to the volume of transactions. The response requires more than just laws and regulations: it necessitates 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 strong foundation for consumers to confidently purchase from Asian retailers.

Speed is another differentiator. If previously the 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 the Brazilian consumer closer to the Asian reality, where paying with QR codes or through superapps is routine.

Full financial inclusion completes the tripod. Approximately 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 unique market, democratizing access to global goods and services. For Asian companies, accepting local payment methods is more than adaptation: it's a strategy to win millions of new customers.

We are facing 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 everyone.

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