Remittance Flow: how to send cross-border payments to Brazil

This guide explains how the remittance flow works at WEpayments for companies using our platform specifically to send funds to Brazil. It covers the pre-funded model, the step-by-step process, required information, and important rules you need to follow.

Overview

The remittance flow is designed for companies that need to send funds from abroad to beneficiaries in Brazil. Unlike the standard Payout flow, remittances operate on a pre-funded model – meaning you must send the funds to WEpayments before creating the payouts. The process works as follows:

You send USD/EUR to WEpayments
WEpayments receives and holds the funds
You create payouts in BRL
WEpayments converts the exact amount needed to BRL
Beneficiaries receive payment in BRL

⚠️ Important: The funds must be received by WEpayments before any payout is processed. You cannot pay beneficiaries before the money is in your account.

How the pre-funded model works

With the pre-funded model, you can send a lump sum to your WEpayments account and use it to fund multiple payouts over time.

Example scenario

Step	Amount	Description
1. You send USD/EUR	USD 100,000	Funds transferred to your WEpayments account
2. Funds held in USD/EUR	USD 100,000	Available as a pre-paid balance
3. You create payouts	BRL 250,000 (≈ USD 50,000)	Payouts to Brazilian beneficiaries
4. Conversion occurs	USD 50,000 → BRL 250,000	Only the exact amount needed is converted
5. Remaining balance	USD 50,000	Stays in your account for future payouts

💡 Conversion happens only for the exact BRL amount required to cover your payouts. Any remaining USD balance stays in your account for future use.

Key rules

Rule	Description
Funds must cover payouts	Funds must be received by WEpayments before payouts are processed – but you can create payouts first to determine the exact amount needed
Two possible orderings	You can send funds first (pre-funded) or create payouts first and then send the exact amount
Exact conversion only	WEpayments converts only the amount needed to cover the payouts – never more
No over-conversion	You cannot convert more money than the total amount you will pay out
Pre-paid balance (recommended)	Sending more than the payout amount is recommended so you keep a balance for future payouts
Same-day receipt (usually)	Funds are typically received on the same day they are sent
USD balance retention	Any unused USD remains in your account for future payouts

Step-by-step remittance flow (updated)

💡 Note on ordering: You can either send the funds first (pre-funded model) or create the payouts first to determine the exact BRL amount, then send the exact USD amount. Both flows are supported. Sending a larger amount upfront is recommended so you keep a pre-paid balance for future payouts.

Option A: Pre-funded model (recommended)

Step	Action
1. Send the USD amount	Transfer funds to your WEpayments account
2. Create the USD deposit	Register the deposit in the Dashboard or API
3. Create payouts in BRL	Create payouts using your pre-paid balance
4. Operations validates receipt	WEpayments confirms the USD funds received
5. Operations validates BRL amount	WEpayments confirms the exact BRL to be credited
6. Payouts processed	Beneficiaries receive payment in BRL

Option B: Payouts first (exact amount)

Step	Action
1. Create payouts in BRL	Create the payouts to determine the exact BRL amount needed
2. Send the exact USD amount	Transfer the exact USD equivalent to cover those payouts
3. Create the USD deposit	Register the deposit in the Dashboard or API
4. Operations validates receipt	WEpayments confirms the USD funds received
5. Operations validates BRL amount	WEpayments confirms the exact BRL to be credited
6. Payouts processed	Beneficiaries receive payment in BRL

Step 4: Operations team validates receipt

Our operations team confirms that the USD/EUR funds have been received in your WEpayments account.

Step 5: Validate the BRL amount to be credited

The team validates the exact BRL amount that will be credited to cover your payouts, based on the applicable exchange rate.

Step 6: Payouts are processed in BRL

Once validated, the payouts are processed and your beneficiaries receive payment in BRL.

Required information

For every remittance transaction, you must provide specific information about both the remitter and the beneficiary.

Remitter information (person/company sending the money)

Field	Description
Full name	Complete name of the remitter
Date of birth	Remitter’s birth date
Country	Country of origin of the remitter

Beneficiary information (person/company receiving the money)

Field	Description
Full name	Complete name of the beneficiary
Tax ID (CPF/CNPJ)	Brazilian tax identification number
Bank details or Pix Key	Account information for receiving funds

⚠️ Important: Remitter and beneficiary information must be provided via API or via the Dashboard (when creating payouts manually). This information is mandatory for compliance and regulatory reporting purposes.

How to submit remitter and beneficiary data

Channel	How to submit
Spreadsheet	Send a file containing all remitter and beneficiary data for batch processing
Dashboard	Enter the information manually when creating each payout
API	Submit the data programmatically in the payout request

💡 For large volumes of payouts, we recommend using a spreadsheet to streamline the process.

Timeline

Step	Expected timeline
Funds sent to WEpayments	Same day (usually)
Deposit registered and validated	Same day or next business day
BRL amount validated	Same day or next business day
Payouts processed	According to standard Payout SLA (PIX: instant / TED: 1 business day)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Can I create payouts before sending the funds?
Yes. You can create the payouts first to determine the exact BRL amount needed, then send the exact USD equivalent. Alternatively, you can send funds upfront and keep a pre-paid balance – which is recommended for recurring operations. 2. What happens if I send more USD than needed?
The remaining balance stays in your WEpayments account in USD and can be used for future payouts. Only the exact amount needed is converted to BRL. 3. Can I convert more money than I will pay out?
No. WEpayments converts only the exact amount required to cover your payouts. Over-conversion is not permitted. 4. How long does it take for funds to be received?
Funds are typically received on the same day they are sent. The exact timing depends on the sending bank and payment method. 5. What information do I need to provide about the remitter?
Full name, date of birth, and country of origin. 6. What information do I need to provide about the beneficiary?
Full name, Brazilian tax ID (CPF/CNPJ), and bank details or Pix Key. 7. Can I submit remitter and beneficiary data via API?
Yes. Both API and Dashboard (manual entry) are supported. For batch processing, you can also send a spreadsheet. 8. Is there a minimum or maximum remittance amount?
Limits depend on your contract and compliance requirements. Contact your account manager for details. 9. What happens if the payout fails after conversion?
The funds remain in your account and can be used for a new payout attempt. Contact support for specific cases. 10. Can I use the pre-paid balance for both Payin and Payout?
The pre-paid USD balance is specific to the remittance flow and is used to fund payouts in BRL.

​Overview

​How the pre-funded model works

​Example scenario

​Key rules

​Step-by-step remittance flow (updated)

​Step 4: Operations team validates receipt

​Step 5: Validate the BRL amount to be credited

​Step 6: Payouts are processed in BRL

​Required information

​Remitter information (person/company sending the money)

​Beneficiary information (person/company receiving the money)

​How to submit remitter and beneficiary data

​Timeline

​Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)