The beaches of the south or the Northeast? An inn with breakfast or an all-inclusive hotel? Dollar bill or credit card (to cancel later in dollar bill)?
Questions multiply for Argentine travelers who plan to spend their next summer vacation in Brazil, while travel agencies confirm a growing interest in inquiries because food and expenses there would be “cheaper than other years.”
For this season, there will be a record of flights between Argentina and Brazilwith 276 weekly frequencies and 23 fixed routes between both countries.
In this context, a new Argentine virtual wallet called Blex, with which Argentine tourists will be able to pay in Brazil through this app that offers quotes in peso/dollar/real or peso/real.
“Any Argentine tourist can make payments by downloading Blex. All Brazilian businesses, including beach hawkers “They accept the payment that Blex offers through the PIX network,” say its founders, who highlight that in this way travelers can handle themselves “like any other local, paying as if they had a Brazilian wallet.”
Why does it work through PIX? Because Pix is a Brazilian electronic payment system, which was launched at the end of 2020. This is a payment method created by the Central Bank of Brazil in which funds are transferred between accounts in seconds.
At this point it is important to clarify that Pix is not a cryptocurrency, but an instant payment method. Y transactions are made in reais Brazilians 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.
So, for an Argentinian – or other foreigner – who does not have a savings account, checking account or prepaid account issued in Brazil to be able to use Pix, they must resort to one of the applications that have integrated with Pix to open that product to the global market.
One of the best known is Belo, but there are also others like Fiwind (fintech that integrates traditional finance with cryptocurrencies). In both cases, when making a transaction with Pix, the user will not have surcharges on their purchases as would occur if they paid with an international credit or debit card.
Every time a purchase is made, You have to ask Brazilians if they accept Pix as a means of payment: so The QR that appears in the posnet is scanned and the conversion is made.n on the spot.
The origin of Blex
Founded by Carlos Balestra and Agustín Gándara, Blex is a collections and payments platform between Brazil and Argentina, “without the need for POS (points of sales) or commissions, allowing Argentine businesses to accept international payments quickly and safely.”
In that sense, “it helps Argentine tourists pay in all businesses in Brazil with a very competitive change focused on simplifying border payments.”
Carlos Balestra is an entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience, who founded and directed multinationals in Latin America and Europe in various industries, such as auto parts, nautical, consulting, BTL marketing, outsourcing and commerce.
For his part, Agustín Gándara has experience in the corporate world and in technology startups. He worked in companies such as Citibank, Toyota, Glovo and Rappi. In addition, he was part of the growth of local fintech, where he deepened his knowledge in financial technology.
Together they developed this platform that “improves the payment experience in Brazil, with the aim of promoting commerce and tourism in the region.”
The advantages of paying with Blex
Among the main advantages are that “Don’t waste your time at the exchange house“In just one minute you download the application, load your account with pesos from your bank and you are already paying in any business in Brazil with reais in PIX.”
Regarding the exchange rate, “Blex offers a competitive exchange rate and you will never again have insecurity with cash or wait for the card statement to see what they charged you because you have all the money on your cell phone, you pay from there and you know exactly what they are charging you at the moment.
Another point that the app highlights is international flexibility: “Blex allows you to pay to any Brazilian bank or wallet, ensuring instant transactions between Argentina and Brazil.”
Regarding payments, they clarify that they are “without commissions or maintenance costs. Argentines can pay without incurring costs, which eliminates the barriers they face with traditional methods. And payment accreditation is instantaneous to the business.”
“You can pay with a cell phone or a POS: Payment is made through a QR code from the Argentine’s cell phone to the business’s cell phone or POSsimplifying the payment experience.”
Carlos Balestra, co-founder of Blex, says: “Traveling to Brazil is now easier and cheaper for Argentines. You just have to download the app from the Play Store or App Store, create your account in a minute, deposit money from your bank or virtual wallet and buy digital dollars. With these simple steps, you can now pay any Brazilian during your trip.
Meanwhile, co-founder Agustín Gándara explains: “Our plan is to consolidate Blex as the preferred payment option for Argentine tourists in Brazil, and continue expanding in Latin America.”
If someone has a business, payments through PIX are received in digital dollars and can be changed to pesos 24/7.