Skip to main content
Pix supports multiple modalities. They range from instant transfers to QR code payments, cash withdrawals, and invoice-based collections. Each modality has its own rules, requirements, and operational flows. The national payment system standardizes all of them. This page describes the core Pix modalities and how they operate within the BACEN regulatory framework.

​
1. Pix Transfer (Standard transfer)

Pix Transfer is the most common modality — an instant transfer between two accounts. The payer identifies the recipient with one of these:
  • Pix keys (CPF/CNPJ, phone, email, EVP)
  • Manual entry (bank, branch, account, and recipient name)
  • Copy-and-paste codes (BR Code string)
Use cases
  • Person-to-person transfers
  • Merchant payments without QR codes
  • Internal and external account movements
Requirements
  • Sender must authenticate
  • Recipient must be a Pix participant
  • Transaction must pass fraud and risk checks
Rules & limitations
  • Instant settlement (seconds)
  • Available 24/7
  • Daily or nightly limits may apply (risk-based)
Flow (simplified)
  1. The sender authenticates and initiates the payment.
  2. The institution validates the account, balance, limits, and risk indicators.
  3. SPI settles the transaction.
  4. The receiver’s account receives the credit instantly.

​
2. Pix QR Code

Pix supports QR codes for payment initiation. They follow BACEN’s BR Code standard and fall into two categories:

​
Static QR Code

A reusable QR code that contains:
  • Fixed recipient information
  • Optional fixed amount
  • Optional additional reference
Typical uses
  • Small merchants
  • Donation links
  • Informal commerce
Characteristics
  • The same QR code serves all payments
  • The payer can edit the amount
  • Minimal update requirements

​
Dynamic QR Code

The recipient’s PSP generates a dynamic QR code for each transaction. It provides more features and security. Two official types:

​
Dynamic Immediate

  • One-time use
  • Predefined amount
  • Expiration timestamp
  • Additional data fields for reconciliation
Use cases: e-commerce checkout, POS systems, service providers.

​
Dynamic with Due Date

  • Support for future due dates
  • Multiplier fields
  • Penalties, fines, interest
  • Updates via additional Pix Cobrança APIs
Use cases: billing, invoicing, utilities, subscription payments. Rules & limitations
  • QR codes follow BACEN’s BR Code standard, based on the EMV QR Code specification
  • Every BR Code carries a CRC16 checksum in the CRC field. A dynamic QR code also references a payload that the payer’s app retrieves from a URL

​
3. Pix Saque and Pix Troco

Pix Saque and Pix Troco enable cash withdrawal at participating merchants.

​
Pix Saque

The customer sends a Pix transfer to withdraw cash. Flow:
  1. The customer initiates Pix Saque.
  2. The merchant receives the Pix.
  3. The merchant hands over the equivalent cash.
Use cases: cash access in areas without ATMs.

​
Pix Troco

The customer pays a value higher than the purchase and receives the difference in cash. Example: item costs R70→customersendsR70 → customer sends R100 → receives R$30 in cash. Requirements
  • Merchant must opt into Pix Saque/Troco
  • Merchant must publish maximum withdrawal thresholds
Limits (BACEN)
  • Daily and per-transaction limits may vary
  • Typically higher limits during daytime

​
4. Pix Cobrança (Invoice-Based Pix)

Pix Cobrança is Pix’s equivalent of billing. It supports:
  • Charge requests with or without due dates
  • Automatic calculation of penalties, fines, and interest
  • Updates to charges
  • Cancellation and reconciliation flows
Two formats:

​
Cobrança Imediata (Immediate Charge)

The payer must pay instantly. This format applies to POS or service scenarios.

​
Cobrança com Vencimento (Due Date Charge)

This format supports future dates. Use it for:
  • Utilities
  • Tuition
  • Subscriptions
  • Merchant billing
Rules
  • Each charge must contain a unique transaction ID
  • Penalties must follow the configured rules
  • Expired charges accept payments only if the configuration allows it

​
5. Pix Agendado (Scheduled Pix)

(If the institution supports it) Pix Agendado allows the payer to schedule a Pix payment for a future date. Use cases:
  • Bill payments
  • Recurring transfers
  • Salary disbursements (internal)
Characteristics
  • The institution must allow scheduling
  • The institution validates Pix Agendado at scheduling time and at execution time
  • The payer can cancel according to institutional rules

​
6. Pix Automático (Automatic Pix)

Pix Automático will support registered agreements. Under an agreement, the system debits the payer’s account automatically. Expected features:
  • Mandate-based authorization
  • Automatic recurring debits
  • Pre-notification of due charges
  • Cancellation support
Ideal for:
  • Subscriptions
  • Utility bills
  • Tuition
  • Insurance premiums

​
7. Pix Internacional (Cross-Border Pix)

Pix Internacional aims to enable instant payments between Brazil and partner jurisdictions. Expected characteristics:
  • Currency conversion
  • Risk and AML checks
  • SPI interoperability with partner infrastructures
  • Transparent end-to-end flow
The characteristics above reflect the intended design of this modality.

​
8. When to use each modality

​
Use standard Pix transfer for:

P2P transfers, small purchases, splitting bills.

​
Use static QR for:

Small merchants, service providers, simple collection.

​
Use dynamic QR for:

E-commerce, delivery, POS, billing.

​
Use Pix Saque/Troco for:

Extending cash withdrawal coverage.

​
Use Pix Cobrança for:

Recurring billing, utilities, formal invoicing.

​
Use Pix Agendado for:

Future payments without immediate settlement.

​
Use Pix Automático for:

Recurring agreements (subscriptions, utilities).

​
Use Pix Internacional for:

Cross-border instant transfers (when released).
Regulatory referenceThis page provides a practical overview of how Pix works. For deeper technical, legal, and regulatory details, refer to the official documentation published by the Central Bank of Brazil (BACEN). These materials keep you up to date with rule changes, deadlines, and official requirements.BACEN’s materials are the authoritative source for Pix regulations and contain the most complete and up-to-date specifications.