US launches trade investigation targeting Brazil’s Pix system

The United States has launched a formal trade investigation into Brazil’s digital payment practices, focusing on Pix, the government-run instant payment system that has overtaken U.S. competitors like Visa and Mastercard. The probe, announced by U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, will assess whether Brazil’s policies unfairly disadvantage American firms and restrict free speech online. Tensions escalated after Trump condemned Brazil’s prosecution of ex-President Bolsonaro and threatened tariffs. Pix's role in bypassing U.S. financial systems via crypto-bridges and BRICS’s push to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar are fueling broader geopolitical concerns.