Brazilian central bank imposes 24-hour hold on large crypto transfers abroad under new anti-fraud rules, requiring crypto exchanges to delay certain customer transfers to foreign platforms or to self-custody wallets for up to 24 hours. The rule is effective Jan. 1, 2027, and applies when a customer deposits reais or cryptocurrency with an exchange then seeks to send funds abroad or to a wallet they control; transfers exceeding the equivalent of $10,000 in a single transaction or multiple transfers on the same day are subject to the hold.
The Brazilian central bank imposes a 24-hour hold on large crypto transfers abroad under new anti-fraud rules. The rule applies when a customer deposits reais or cryptocurrency with an exchange and then seeks to send funds to foreign platforms or to a self-custody wallet they control, and transfers exceeding the equivalent of $10,000 in a single transaction or through multiple transfers on the same day are subject to the required hold. Exchanges may also place smaller transfers on hold if they flag them as risky.
The hold can last up to 24 hours but is not permanent, and exchanges may release a transfer before the 24-hour period if a risk review finds no signs of wrongdoing. Exchanges are required to document the decision to place a transaction on hold and to inform customers when their transaction has been held. The measure increases exchanges’ responsibility for assessing risk based on factors including the customer, the transaction, the counterparty and the destination jurisdiction. Exchanges must follow these operational requirements when implementing the temporary holds.
The new anti-fraud measures increase exchanges’ responsibility for judging risk based on the customer, the transaction, the counterparty and the destination jurisdiction. Exchanges must document the decision to place a transaction on hold and inform customers when a transaction has been placed on hold. The hold is temporary and exchanges may release a transfer before the 24-hour period if a risk review finds no signs of wrongdoing.
The operational requirements apply when a customer deposits reais or cryptocurrency with an exchange and then seeks to send funds abroad or to a self-custody wallet they control, and transfers exceeding the equivalent of $10,000 in a single transaction or multiple transfers on the same day are subject to the required hold. Smaller transfers may also face delays if an exchange flags them as risky. The measures impose monitoring, decision-recording and customer-notification duties on exchanges, which must assess individual transfers against the stated risk factors.
Regina Pedroso, president of Abtoken, said “the policy could impose costs on legitimate users and weaken the competitiveness of domestic exchanges.”
The Brazilian central bank enforces a temporary 24-hour hold on certain crypto transfers abroad as an anti-fraud measure, requiring exchanges to delay some transfers to foreign platforms or self-custody wallets when they meet the regulation’s criteria. The rule increases exchanges’ responsibility to assess and document risk and to notify customers, and Regina Pedroso, president of Abtoken, said “the policy could impose costs on legitimate users and weaken the competitiveness of domestic exchanges.”
