Brazilian MEI or solo entrepreneur: ever thought about receiving PIX directly into crypto (DePix, USDT) without becoming a "crypto company"? It is legal, simple, and protects your revenue from Real devaluation. Here is how it works in practice — without changing your CNAE, opening a new CNPJ, or any tax complications.

TL;DR
  • MEI can receive PIX and convert into crypto YES, legally — Law 14.478/2022 + Decree 11.563/2023
  • Still declares operational revenue normally (service invoice); MEI does not become a crypto company
  • PixGo is a tech intermediary; Eulen (the DePix issuer in Brazil) handles KYC/AML and reports to Brazilian IRS
  • Self-custody wallet = once the DePix arrives, the funds stay under your control
  • Optional dollarization via BrSwap (DePix→USDT inside the wallet) protects against Real losing value
  • D+1: sold today, DePix tomorrow — weekends and holidays included

What the law says (simple summary)

Brazil has had a consolidated legal framework for crypto since 2022. The three pillars that matter for MEI:

  • Law 14.478/2022 — defines crypto as virtual asset, authorizes regulated service providers (PSAVs)
  • Decree 11.563/2023 — puts the Central Bank as PSAV regulator
  • IRS Normative Instruction 2.291/2025 — rules for crypto declaration in income tax; who reports what

What this means for you, MEI: you do not become a PSAV. A PSAV is whoever custodies crypto for third parties — exchanges, brokers. PixGo is a tech intermediary connecting your incoming PIX to a DePix purchase by Eulen (the DePix issuer in Brazil). Eulen handles KYC, complies with AML rules, and reports to the Brazilian IRS.

As a MEI, you continue exactly as before: receive for your service, issue NFS-e (if applicable), declare via DASN. The difference is where the value "ends up" — before it went to the bank, now it can go to your self-custody wallet as DePix.

What Eulen reports: each DePix purchase generates a record with the payer's CPF (the customer who paid the PIX). It is that CPF that appears in the "Crypto Asset Acquisition" declaration in the tax return — not your MEI CPF. You only received payment for services rendered.

Your customer pays a regular PIX and the money arrives as DePix in your own wallet. See how the PixGo PIX gateway works.

Create account

How it works for MEI (step by step)

The PixGo signup is simple: email and password. After sign-up, PixGo validates your account — a standard procedure applied to every account. Payer identification is still handled by the payment partner on every PIX. The MEI stays MEI in the real world — PixGo is just the tool that receives the PIX and gives you DePix.

  1. Create PixGo account at /cadastro — username, e-mail, contact (Telegram/WhatsApp) and password, no cost.
  2. Set up wallet: create your PixGo Wallet at wallet.pixgo.org (see first steps guide)
  3. Link receiving wallet: paste the lq1... address from the wallet into My Profile, save and validate it
  4. Account validated: after sign-up, PixGo validates your account
  5. Receive payment: create the charge in Generate Charge (/depix) with the amount (minimum R$ 10) and the CPF or CNPJ of who will pay — the QR is valid for 20 minutes — or create checkout at /minha-loja (recurring store)
  6. Customer pays PIX directly from their bank, from the account of the same CPF or CNPJ entered — they see "PIXGO" or the intermediary bank name on the statement
  7. DePix arrives in wallet on D+1 (sold Monday, receive Tuesday; sold Saturday, receive Sunday)

Done. You just received in crypto without any change to your CNAE, DASN, or MEI structure. The payer's CPF is recorded on every PIX, and Eulen reports the DePix acquisition under their name — you as MEI do not change anything in your structure.

Stage Traditional MEI MEI with PixGo
Customer paysPIX lands in MEI bankPIX goes to the payment partner → DePix in your wallet on D+1
SettlementInstantD+1 (calendar)
Who reportsBank reports movement in e-FinanceiraEulen reports crypto acquisition by payer
Movement in your bank100% of revenueOnly what you withdraw via Crypix
CustodyBankYou (self-custody)
Freeze riskBank can freeze accountWallet does not freeze what has already arrived (crypto)
Real-devaluation protectionNoneOptional via BrSwap (USDT)

Optional dollarization (protect against Real losing value)

Here lies one of the biggest gains for MEI: you can swap part of what you receive in DePix into USDT (digital dollar) without leaving the wallet. The Real has been losing purchasing power against the dollar over the years. Keeping long-term cash in Real is, in practice, losing value every month.

How it works:

  1. Open the wallet, go to BrSwap
  2. Select pair DePix → USDT (direct pair, no L-BTC intermediary)
  3. Type how much you want to swap (e.g., R$1,500 in DePix) — the USDT amount shows on screen before you confirm
  4. Confirm — atomic swap takes 1 minute

USDT sits in the same wallet, next to DePix. No exchange, no extra registration, no monthly fee. When you need Real back (bill, supplier, groceries), do the reverse path: USDT → DePix inside the wallet, then Crypix.me to withdraw via PIX out.

Sovereignty Triangle: PixGo (ENTRY — you receive DePix) → wallet/BrSwap (PROTECTION — dollarize with USDT) → Crypix.me (EXIT — convert to PIX when needed). Three independent pieces, you in command of each one.

What MEI declares in income tax

This is the part that causes the most confusion. Let us break it down:

  • Operational revenue: stays the same. You bill R$5,000 for service (manicure, barber, design, whatever). Issue NFS-e (if your city requires), pay fixed DAS-MEI (~R$70/month in 2026). Declare annual revenue in DASN-Simei by May of the following year.
  • Crypto acquisition: does NOT go in your tax return as MEI. The person who bought DePix was the customer who paid you. Their CPF appears in Eulen's report to the IRS.
  • Crypto holdings in your wallet: if you keep DePix/USDT/BTC sitting there, declare in your personal income tax under "Assets and Rights" (group 08 – Crypto Assets), specific code, acquisition value. Above R$5,000 per crypto type is mandatory.
  • Sale with gain: if you sold crypto and had capital gain, file monthly DARF. But DePix is a stablecoin 1:1 with Real — bought at R$1, sold at R$1, zero gain, no DARF.

Summary: your MEI CNPJ does not change anything. Your personal income tax only has the "Assets and Rights" part if you accumulate crypto. Details in How to declare DePix in income tax.

Limits: MEI R$81k/year vs PixGo

Two limit dimensions, independent:

  • 2026 MEI ceiling: R$81,000/year in revenue. Above that, you must migrate from MEI to ME (Microenterprise) — usually LTDA-ME or EI (Sole Trader). Nothing changes in your PixGo flow, only your business structure.
  • PixGo limits: depend on your account level. R$300 per charge at starter level, scales up to R$6,000 per charge at Elite level. The payer's bank and payment institutions may apply their own limits. Details in PixGo Limits.
Watch the MEI ceiling: the R$81,000/year limit is from the IRS, not from PixGo. If you bill above that, you are deframed from MEI and fall into a different taxation (usually Simples Nacional annex III or V). PixGo continues working the same — who you need to notify is your accountant. Consider migrating to ME CNPJ before hitting the ceiling to avoid deframing fines.

Real scenario: MEI billing R$5k/month

Joana is a manicure MEI in São Paulo. Bills R$5,000/month. Before she received everything via PIX directly at Itaú; now she uses PixGo. Numbers:

  • Monthly revenue: R$5,000 (40 appointments of R$125)
  • PixGo fee: R$5,000 × 2% = R$100, plus R$0.50 per daily transfer (one per day with appointments, covering all of that day's payments). Total of R$100 + R$0.50 per day with appointments (auto-deducted, see fee table)
  • Received as DePix in wallet: R$4,900 minus R$0.50 per day with appointments

Joana decides the allocation:

  • 20% (≈ R$980) goes to the bank via Crypix.me for fixed bills (rent, groceries, DAS-MEI): moves ≈ R$980 at Itaú instead of R$5,000
  • 50% (≈ R$2,450) stays in DePix self-custody (short-term reserve, always paired with Real)
  • 30% (≈ R$1,470) she dollarizes via BrSwap into USDT (medium/long-term reserve protected against inflation)

Result: 80% of monthly revenue stays in self-custody, outside Joana's bank. The operating cash no longer depends on an account that can be frozen, and the revenue is still declared normally in the DASN-Simei (R$60,000/year, within MEI ceiling). When she needs the money, Joana withdraws via Crypix.me and it lands in the bank in seconds.

Why this matters: self-custody crypto is not "hiding from IRS" — it is separating cash from the bank. You continue declaring revenue normally; you just do not use the bank as a vault. Eulen handles crypto reporting the right way.

Advantages vs staying 100% bank

Criterion 100% bank PixGo + Wallet
Cost to receive PIXUsually free (PF) or PJ fee2% + R$0.50 per transfer (+ R$1 from R$10 to R$49.99), transparent
SettlementInstantD+1 (calendar)
Freeze riskAccount can be compliance-blockedWallet does not freeze what has already arrived
Protection against weak RealNone (CDB yields less than inflation)Optional via USDT (BrSwap)
CustodyBank custodiesSelf-custody (you)
Crypto tax reportingN/AEulen reports (payer's CPF)
Cost to hold "cash"Inflation eats itUSDT protects against Real

FAQ — MEI receiving crypto

I am MEI, can I receive PIX in crypto?

Yes, fully legal. Law 14.478/2022 + Decree 11.563/2023 authorize the flow. You do not need to open a new CNPJ, change CNAE, or become a PSAV. Register at PixGo, link and validate your wallet and, once your account is validated, start receiving.

Will I become a crypto company?

No. PixGo is the tech intermediary and Eulen is the DePix issuer in Brazil. You are just the end recipient of the crypto asset, receiving in exchange for the service you provided. Your MEI continues being MEI for your original activity.

Do I have to declare every DePix received?

No. Eulen's report to IRS uses the payer's CPF. In your personal income tax, you only need to declare crypto under "Assets and Rights" if you accumulate more than R$5,000 per crypto type in your wallet on Dec 31. Your operational revenue continues going into DASN-Simei normally.

What if I exceed R$81k/year?

Then you are deframed from MEI and need to migrate to ME (Microenterprise), usually as LTDA-ME or EI. The process is with your accountant. For PixGo nothing changes — your new CNPJ continues using the same account (or open PJ if you prefer separation). Consider migrating to ME before hitting the ceiling to avoid fines.

Is PixGo Wallet really mine?

Yes, 100% self-custody. You have the 12-word seed, no one at PixGo has access to your funds. If PixGo disappears, you import the seed in any compatible Liquid wallet (SideSwap, Blockstream Green) and keep using it. PixGo is just the interface — not the custody. Details in first steps.

Can I use it to pay a supplier in PIX?

Yes. When you want to use what is in the wallet, go to Crypix.me (separate crypto→PIX exit platform), send DePix back, pick the supplier's PIX key, the PIX lands in their account in seconds. Same flow if it is a bill, groceries, or electricity. You only "pass" through the bank at the exact moment you need the Real.

Practical summary

  • MEI can receive PIX in crypto without changing CNAE, without becoming PSAV — it is in the law
  • PixGo is tech intermediary; Eulen handles KYC and reports to IRS
  • Declaration: normal operational revenue in DASN; crypto asset at Eulen shows under payer's CPF, not yours
  • Self-custody wallet = once the DePix arrives, you command your funds
  • BrSwap optional dollarization (DePix→USDT) right in the wallet, no exchange
  • D+1: sold today, DePix tomorrow, weekends included
  • MEI ceiling remains R$81k/year; PixGo has its own per-level limits
  • When you need Real: Crypix.me sends it back via PIX out

Related reading: CPF vs CNPJ at PixGo · Declaring DePix in income tax · PixGo fees · PixGo limits · Wallet first steps · How D+1 works