- Itaú offers 15 cryptoassets and Nubank lists 28 for retail clients in Brazil.
- Central Bank filings reviewed by Folha showed zero virtual asset holdings on Brazilian bank balance sheets as of March 2026.
- Brazil’s crypto market reached R$505.5 billion in 2025, with companies accounting for 98.3% of tracked volume.
Brazil crypto banks are widening their retail token menus while keeping direct exposure off their own books. Itaú, Nubank, Banco do Brasil, Bradesco and Santander have expanded their crypto offerings since last year, following growth in the local market and clearer rules from the Central Bank. Receita Federal data shows Brazilians moved R$505.5 billion ($98.7 billion) through crypto in 2025, more than five times the R$94.9 billion recorded in 2020. Even with that growth, Central Bank filings dated March 2026 and reviewed by Folha showed no virtual asset holdings on Brazilian bank balance sheets, indicating that banks are serving clients without taking proprietary crypto positions.
Brazil crypto banks add more tokens for clients
Itaú, the country’s largest bank by assets under management, now offers 15 cryptoassets through its investment app. Its lineup includes Bitcoin, Ethereum and the dollar-pegged stablecoin USDC. Nubank, described as Brazil’s largest fintech, lists 28 crypto tokens for customers.
Banco do Brasil also entered direct crypto access for customers in January, allowing purchases of Bitcoin and Ethereum. The bank told Folha de S.Paulo that the service has already processed more than R$11 million ($2.1 million) in transactions since launch.
Market growth behind Brazil crypto banks expansion
The latest bank moves came as Brazil’s crypto market reached a new high. According to Receita Federal, crypto transactions in the country totaled R$505.5 billion ($98.7 billion) in 2025, compared with R$94.9 billion in 2020.
Most of that activity came from businesses rather than individuals. Corporate crypto transactions reached R$497 billion ($97 billion) last year, representing 98.3% of the volume tracked by Receita Federal, while individual investors made up the remaining share.
Regulations reshape the banking approach
Brazil passed its Legal Framework for Virtual Assets in 2022, giving the Central Bank authority over the sector. That authority was strengthened by three resolutions published in November 2025, which set licensing, minimum capital and segregated client account requirements for firms that let customers trade, hold or send crypto.
The compliance deadline is October 30. One of the new measures, Resolution 521, classifies the purchase or exchange of a dollar-pegged token as a foreign exchange operation, placing stablecoins under the same reporting standard used for sending money abroad.
Balance sheets stay clear of direct exposure
Despite the broader crypto shelf now offered to clients, Central Bank filings reviewed by Folha showed zero proprietary virtual asset holdings at Brazilian banks as of March 2026. Banks can still provide custody and processing services for clients without carrying crypto on their own balance sheets.
Carlos Akira Sato, co-founder of consultancy Syscapital, said clearer rules made banks more comfortable launching products. He added that proprietary exposure exists only when a bank buys crypto with its own money and takes on price, liquidity and credit risk.
Banco Safra took a different route in September 2025 by issuing its own dollar-pegged stablecoin, Safra Dólar, and keeping custody in-house. The bank presents it as a way for clients to gain dollar exposure without opening an account abroad, reflecting a wider move by banks to build stablecoin infrastructure themselves.
Conclusion
Brazil crypto banks are expanding retail access to digital assets while avoiding direct ownership of those assets on their own books. Itaú, Nubank and Banco do Brasil have all widened customer access, and the broader market reached R$505.5 billion in 2025, driven mostly by companies. At the same time, March 2026 filings reviewed by Folha showed no proprietary crypto holdings at Brazilian banks. With the Legal Framework for Virtual Assets already in place and November 2025 resolutions setting tougher operating rules ahead of the October 30 deadline, the current pattern is clear: banks are growing client-facing crypto services under a stricter regulatory structure.
Disclaimer
The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. The article does not offer sufficient information to make investment decisions, nor does it constitute an offer, recommendation, or solicitation to buy or sell any financial instrument. The content is opinion of the author and does not reflect any view or suggestion or any kind of advise from CryptoNewsBytes.com. The author declares he does not hold any of the above mentioned tokens or received any incentive from any company.
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