Brazil Central Bank proposes 24-hour holds on large dollar stablecoin transfers

Industry group ABcripto says the proposed hold on larger stablecoin remittances would undermine instant-use cases and push activity toward less regulated channels as Brazil debates new rules.

Summary

Brazil's crypto industry group ABcripto has pushed back against a central bank proposal to impose a 24-hour hold on stablecoin remittances above $10,000, arguing the measure would be disproportionate and could weaken rather than strengthen market safety. In a letter to the Department of Financial Regulation, the association said the delay would disrupt use cases that depend on near-instant finality, including time-sensitive transfers, while mainly affecting transparent institutions rather than illicit actors that already rely on platforms without identity checks, mixers and bridges. The central bank cited rising crypto crime and a Chainalysis report showing illicit transaction volumes reached a record high in 2025 as justification for the proposal. The debate comes as Congress discusses stablecoin-specific regulation and the central bank is set to classify stablecoins as electronic money instead of digital assets.

Terms & Concepts
  • stablecoin: A crypto token designed to maintain a stable value, often by tracking a fiat currency such as the U.S. dollar.
  • finality: The point at which a transaction is considered completed and irreversible.
  • mixers: Services that obscure the origin and destination of crypto transactions by blending funds from multiple users.