Brazil should end 2025 with US$ 418.8 billion handled in e-commerce, says Nuvei

Brazil is expected to end 2025 with a volume of US$ 418.8 billion handled in e-commerce, registering an average growth rate of 21% per year until 2027. Among the trends that drive this advance, PIX is already the preferred payment method of Brazilian consumers and should surpass cards as the main means of digital payment in the next two years.

The conclusions are part of the consolidated report “Global Expansion Guide for High Growth Markets”, which closes the first edition of the series of studies by Nuvei, a global payments fintech dedicated to mapping the performance and potential of emerging markets. Throughout the year, the research analyzed eight prominent economies: Colombia, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, Hong Kong, Chile and India.

In the Brazilian scenario, the report points to PIX, Mercado Pago, PicPay, bank slip (in decline) and PayPal as the main means of payment used in e-commerce. National credit cards represent 31% of transactions, while international ones add up to 10%, and installment payments remain a practice widely adopted by consumers.

“For the Brazilian market, the learning is clear: instant payments have become a standard expectation, no longer an alternative. Fraud rates have been improving, but technologies such as tokenization and advanced authentication remain fundamental to maintain security and efficiency in” transactions, says Juan Jorge Soto, General Manager of Nuvei Latin America.

According to Nuvei, companies that want to expand their operations in the sector need to offer local payment options, such as PIX, national credit cards and digital wallets, as well as enable installments and real prices (BRL). The use of QR Codes via PIX increases sales conversion, while the use of tokenization and fingerprint devices is essential for fraud control and improvement in approval rates.

Financial inclusion

On a global scale, the study reveals that the total e-commerce volume in the eight markets analyzed reached US$ 908.4 billion, with a projection of almost doubling by 2027, reaching US$ 1.2 trillion, which represents an average annual growth of 19%.

Among the countries studied, Brazil emerges as the largest digital market, moving US$ 418.8 billion. Following, appear India (US$ 212.9 billion), Mexico (US$ 125.7 billion), Colombia (US$ 61.4 billion) and Chile (US$ 39.1 billion). In the United Arab Emirates, cards and digital wallets still dominate, while in South Africa the newly launched PayShap begins to boost financial inclusion.

The rise of local payment systems, such as PIX in Brazil and UPI in India, is pointed out as one of the main factors behind this jump. Both models have become global references in instant payments, serving as an example for new initiatives in countries such as Mexico (DiMo) and Colombia (PSE).

The report also highlights that the eight markets analyzed are home to nearly two billion people, more than half of them under 35, a generation that is already born digital, online shopping by default and shapes the future of global e-commerce. Their digital economies grow at a double-digit pace, driven by young and connected consumers, expanding middle classes and public policies of financial inclusion.

This movement has been reinforced by government initiatives, open banking regulations and innovations led by central banks, such as the PIX itself and UPI, which have reduced dependence on physical money and integrated millions of people into formal digital ecosystems. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), emerging economies are expected to grow, on average, 4% per year between 2024 and 2029, more than twice as many advanced economies.

“Electronic commerce is expected to exceed the US$ 1.2 trillion mark by 2027, and emerging economies will continue to grow at a significantly faster pace than North America and Central Europe.Brazil in particular is consolidating itself as one of the largest payment innovation hubs in the world”, says Soto.

Next issue broadens look at global payment opportunities

For 2026, Nuvei is preparing a new edition of the Global Expansion Guide, focusing on new geographies. The next phases of the study should support international merchants and companies to broaden their digital consumer base, exploring new opportunities for diversification and strengthening access to ecosystems that innovate at unprecedented speed.

Nuvei points out that the advancement of Generation Z and Millennials in emerging markets will be decisive in this process. This highly connected and mobile-first population seeks personalized digital experiences and instant payments.The influence of this audience tends to grow: by 2030, three out of four consumers in emerging economies will be between 15 and 34 years old.

“The main conclusion is clear: the payments landscape in high-growth markets is evolving, not replacing itself.The fastest growing digital economies in the world and the next generation of consumers are ready for merchants who are also ready for them”, concludes Juan Soto.

Learn more about the consolidated study and its respective phases by accessing the link.