# How the Central Bank of Brazil built Pix, powering 6 billion monthly transactions

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-fintech-blueprint-1372983/how-the-central-bank-of-brazil-built-pix-powering-6-billion-monthly-transactions
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-fintech-blueprint-1372983/how-the-central-bank-of-brazil-built-pix-powering-6-billion-monthly-transactions.md
Podcast: [The Fintech Blueprint](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-fintech-blueprint-1372983)
Published: 2025-07-25T14:15:00+00:00
Episode link: https://lex.substack.com/
Audio file: https://cdn.simplecast.com/audio/7051d3f0-1ddb-41e0-b514-e52dd30df9ac/episodes/0643264e-fddc-46ab-9925-c809bb5c2cf0/audio/60bbd7d1-5d0e-4219-b47c-43175c696c08/default_tc.mp3?aid=rss_feed&feed=sQKPtdhq
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Duration seconds: 2505

## Resource

Lex chats with Harish Natarajan - Practice Manager, Financial Inclusion and Infrastructure, Finance, Competitiveness & Innovation at the World Bank, and Carlos Brandt - The Senior Advisor for Pix at the Central Bank of Brazil. Together they discuss the remarkable success of Pix, Brazil's real-time payment system, which now sees over 6 billion transactions per month and is used by more than 90% of the adult population and 80% of companies. Lex explores how Pix was created by the Central Bank of Brazil with strong public-private collaboration, backed by regulatory authority and supported by a co-creation model with stakeholders. Key to its adoption were a low-cost centralized infrastructure, clear branding, mandatory participation by large banks, and a robust national communication strategy. Globally, Pix is seen as a leading example of fast payment system deployment, driven by the central bank acting as a neutral coordinator and scheme owner. Lex also examines the technical architecture, built in-house by a surprisingly small team of 55–65 people, and how scalable infrastructure and extensibility have enabled rapid growth and innovation. NOTABLE DISCUSSION POINTS: 1. Pix achieved mass adoption through public-private co-creation and legal mandate: Pix now processes over 6 billion transactions per month, with 90% of Brazil’s adult population and 80% of businesses actively using it. Its success stems from a strategic legal mandate in 2013 granting the Central Bank regulatory and operational authority over retail payments. The Central Bank then led a co-creation process involving both public and private stakeholders through the Pix Forum, fostering alignment, inclusivity, and strong network effects. 2. A lean but powerful team built a nation-scale real-time payments system:…

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