Pix by approach no longer has a limit of R$500 per transaction

From this Thursday (1st), Pix via contactless will no longer have a maximum limit of R$500 per transaction. The change was established by the Central Bank and applies to payments initiated by contact, made by touching the cell phone or digital watch to the machine.

This does not mean that Pix by approach becomes unlimited. Financial institutions remain responsible for establishing limits for their customers' Pix transactions, taking into account the user's risk profile and behavior.

The Normative Instruction was published in June and comes into force this Thursday.

What changes in Pix by approach?

Until then, the rule determined that each Pix contactless transaction could have a maximum of R$500. The user could also establish a maximum limit for the total payments on the day, as long as the ceiling per operation was respected.

With the change, the specific limit of R$500 per transaction no longer exists. However, the general limits defined by financial institutions for each client continue to apply.

For Ana Luiza Franco, a lawyer specializing in payment methods at Barcellos Tucunduva Advogados, the change gives users more flexibility, but requires institutions to make the conditions clear to customers.

“Removing the ceiling cannot mean that Pix will operate without limits or security controls,” he states.

What are the limits for other transactions with Pix?

The limits vary depending on the type of operation and are defined by financial institutions according to the risk profile and user behavior.

For common transfers and payments, banks must establish maximum limits per period. When the recipient is an individual, the night period has a limit of R$1,000, unless expressly requested by the user.

In the case of Pix for withdrawal or change purposes, the limit per period is R$1,000 to R$3,000 during the day and R$1,000 at night.

For Scheduled Pix and Automatic Pix, the limit is established per day and must also consider the user's risk profile and behavior.

Institutions must offer a tool for individual customers to manage their limits on the application. Reduction requests must be responded to immediately; Increase requests can be analyzed by the institution and, if accepted, the change must occur between 24 and 48 hours.

What is Pix by approximation?

It's a way to start a Pix payment without having to open the bank app or scan the QR Code on the machine.

The technology uses NFC (near field communication), the same used in contactless payments with cards. The user brings their cell phone or digital watch close to a compatible machine, checks the transaction details and confirms the payment, usually with biometrics or a password. The amount is then debited from the account and transferred to the recipient within seconds.

The modality can be offered both through digital wallets and through the participating institutions' own applications that have incorporated the function.

Who can use Pix by contact?

Currently, the modality is available for users of Android devices. The offer also depends on the financial institution, the digital wallet used and the compatibility of the machine.

On Apple devices, the feature is not yet available for Pix. The BC states that Pix is ​​an open infrastructure, and that the restriction on certain operating systems arises from decisions made by private agents.

How to use Pix by approximation?

The first step is to have an NFC-compatible cell phone and an institution or digital wallet that offers Pix via contact.

Depending on the form of offer, the user can:

Using the bank's app: open the institution's app and select Pix by contact, when the function is available;

Using a digital wallet: add a compatible bank account to the wallet and enable Pix, when the option is available.

When paying, simply bring your cell phone closer to the compatible machine. Then, check the transaction details and confirm the payment with the biometrics or password requested by the device. The amount is debited from the linked account and transferred to the recipient.