Brazil’s Central Bank Orders Closure of Irregular Pooled Accounts, Rolls Out Activity‑Based Capital Minimums

Overview

• In rules published today by the BC and CMN, banks and payment institutions must compulsorily close customer deposit and payment accounts used to provide financial or payment services without legal backing, targeting so‑called contas‑bolsão.
• The closure regime takes effect on December 1, 2025, while the new activity‑based methodology for minimum capital is in force immediately with a transition that keeps prior minimums through June 30, 2026 and steps up by 25%, 50%, and 75% through December 31, 2027.
• Institutions must adopt their own criteria to spot irregular use of accounts, may draw on public and private databases, and must retain related documentation for Banco Central review for at least ten years.
• The capital framework adds components for start‑up costs and technology‑intensive services and applies an extra charge to institutions that use the term “bank” or similar in their names.
• BC officials said the capital revamp will chiefly affect non‑bank entities, with roughly 500 firms impacted and aggregate required capital rising from about R$5.2 billion today to roughly R$9.1 billion by the end of the transition, a move informed by recent criminal schemes and cyber incidents cited by authorities.