Brazil’s Stock Exchange Buys into Shipay to Anchor Itself in Everyday Payments

Brazil’s stock exchange operator B3 has moved beyond equities by buying a controlling stake in Shipay, a payments technology firm.

On August 26, 2025, B3 announced the acquisition of 62 percent of Shipay for R$37 million (US$7 million), with the option to purchase the remainder by 2030 if agreed targets are achieved.

The deal still requires approval from Brazil’s antitrust regulator CADE and notification to the securities authority CVM. Shipay, founded in 2020, builds software that allows merchants to accept Pix, digital wallets, and other payment methods in a single system.

By 2022, the company processed R$15 billion (US$2.7 billion) across 28 million transactions, reaching more than 2 million end users through retail software.

The technology cuts costs for merchants and helps them manage the explosive growth of Pix, Brazil’s instant payment system. Pix itself has become central to daily life. Created by the Central Bank of Brazil, it handled a record 276.7 million transactions in one day this June.

For many businesses, this system has overtaken cash and cards. Platforms like Shipay provide the missing link between consumers’ phones and merchants’ balance sheets.

B3 buys Shipay to expand beyond trading

The story behind the acquisition is B3’s attempt to reduce reliance on volatile stock trading and position itself at the heart of Brazil’s financial plumbing.

Since 2021, companies must register electronic receivables—known as “duplicatas escriturais”—with authorized entities before using them for financing. B3 already operates in this field, and Shipay’s integration of payments and receivables data strengthens that role.

In the second quarter of 2025, B3 posted net revenue of R$2.54 billion (US$462 million), up 3.5 percent from a year earlier, and recurring net income of R$1.28 billion (US$233 million), up 4.2 percent.

This solid financial position allows it to invest in businesses that extend its reach beyond the trading floor. Shipay will remain operationally independent, but the tie with B3 gives it greater scale in a competitive market.

Rivals such as CERC, TAG and Núclea also fight for dominance in receivables registration. For merchants, this deal could mean faster checkouts and simpler accounting.

For companies, it may improve access to credit. For B3, it represents a hedge against the cyclical nature of stock trading.

The real story is that Brazil’s exchange is no longer just about equities. It is embedding itself into the daily payments infrastructure that moves the country’s economy.

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