Status
PILOT
Brazil
Brazil Drex (Digital Real)
According to Banco Central do Brasil disclosures and linked sources, this profile records status, architecture, and capability fields for Brazil Drex (Digital Real).
Program Snapshot
Current status fields and timeline data from the profile record.
Type
WHOLESALE
Program classification
Wallets
Not listed
As of 2025-02-26
Annual Volume
Not listed
high confidence
Status and Timeline
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Announced | 2022-08-01 |
| Pilot start | 2024-08-01 |
| Launch | Not listed |
| Last verified | 2026-04-18 |
Availability
- Retail
- none
- Wholesale
- pilot
Central Bank
Banco Central do Brasil
Technical Profile
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Wholesale |
| Architecture | two-tier |
| Access model | token based |
| Technology base | hybrid |
| Legal tender | pilot only |
Capabilities
offline payments: No
programmability: Yes
cross border: No
interest bearing: No
transaction limits: Yes
Cross-Border Projects
No cross-border project entries are listed for this profile.
Recent Updates
According to Banco Central do Brasil (BCB), the first phase of the Drex pilot ran from July 2023 to October 2024 and its technical report was published on February 26, 2025. The official report says the phase tested a DLT-based platform focused on privacy, programmability, and compliance requirements. BCB reported 16 selected proposals in phase 1, more than 100 participating institutions across consortia, and 26 deployed network nodes. The report also recorded over 420 wholesale token transactions, over 1,900 retail token transactions, and 1,263 tokenised federal bond transactions in the test environment. The official Drex pilot page shows the second phase has been completed, with a phase 2 report still under preparation. Public end-user wallet and transaction-volume metrics are not published because retail-user operations are simulated inside the pilot environment rather than launched to the public.
Updated: Apr 18, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Brazil have a CBDC?
According to listed sources, Brazil is developing Brazil Drex (Digital Real), currently in pilot phase.
What is the current status of Brazil's CBDC?
Brazil Drex (Digital Real) is in pilot phase as of 2026-04-18.
When did Brazil start CBDC pilot activity?
Pilot activity is listed from 2024-08-01.
How many users or wallets are reported for Brazil's CBDC?
Wallet metrics are not listed in the current dataset.
Is Brazil's CBDC retail, wholesale, or hybrid?
Brazil Drex (Digital Real) is categorized as wholesale.
Which institution manages Brazil Drex (Digital Real)?
Brazil Drex (Digital Real) is managed by Banco Central do Brasil.
Related CBDCs
Sources
Sources
Last verified: 2026-04-18
Drex - Banco Central do Brasil
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BCB launches Drex Pilot's second phase
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Drex Pilot Phase 1 Report - Main Developments
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Drex FAQ - Banco Central do Brasil
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BIS Review: Drex and the Future of Financial Intermediation
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Brazil is building on the success of Pix with Drex pilot - OMFIF (by BCB Deputy Governor Renato Gomes)
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