October 30: the Central Bank deadline that affects anyone using a crypto exchange in Brazil

Quick answer

October 30, 2026 is the last day for crypto exchanges that were already operating in Brazil to apply for authorization from the Central Bank of Brazil. The deadline applies to companies that bought, sold or held crypto for customers when the new rules took effect on February 2, 2026. Those that file on time may keep operating while their application is reviewed. Those that do not must stop providing these services within 30 days, under BCB Resolution 520.

For customers, the practical question is simple: will the exchange that holds your money and your crypto stay in the country? This guide shows how to find out, what to do in each situation and which precautions to take through the end of November. A second date also matters: from November 6, 2026, banks and payment institutions are barred from serving providers that lack Central Bank authorization.

Why October 30

The Central Bank's rules for the crypto market took effect on February 2, 2026. BCB Resolution 520 gave companies that were already active 270 days to apply for authorization. Counting from February 2, those 270 days end on October 30. BCB Normative Instruction 704 sets the same date for filing the first phase of the application.

The rule applies to the virtual asset service provider (VASP, called PSAV or SPSAV in Brazil). In practice, it is the company that buys and sells crypto on the customer's behalf, holds the customer's crypto, or does both, as most exchanges do. The big picture of these rules is in Crypto regulation in Brazil: what Central Bank rules change for users.

The dates that matter to customers

Dates checked against the Central Bank's official texts on Oct 19, 2026. The Central Bank has already changed dates in this calendar more than once; confirm before you decide.

A filed application is not an authorization

This is the most common mix-up. Filing means handing the paperwork to the Central Bank. Authorization only exists after the Central Bank reviews and approves it, in two phases, and the industry expects that to take two to three years, according to a BitNotícias report from Sep 18, 2026.

Meanwhile, an exchange that filed on time may keep serving customers, but it cannot start offering a different type of service. It also starts sending the Central Bank data on customer balances, the total crypto in custody and proof of reserves. That data goes to the regulator and is not public, so it does not replace your own checks.

An application can also be denied. The Central Bank has already rejected one from a company that could not prove it was operating before the rules or show the required minimum capital, according to the same report.

How to tell whether your exchange applied

1. Look for the official notice. Exchanges that plan to stay in the country usually announce on their website or app that they filed. Be wary of vague lines such as "we are compliant" that do not say whether an application was filed.
2. Find the name of the Brazilian company. The brand you use is not always the company that applies. The legal name and the CNPJ (Brazil's company tax ID) are in the terms of use or the site footer.
3. Check the Central Bank's database. The database of open authorization processes lists applications under review. As of the Sep 30, 2026 reference date, it showed 7 applications in the virtual asset service provider segment. The database is published with a lag and only shows open processes, so a missing company is not proof that it did not apply.
4. Ask customer support in writing. Ask for the process number and the filing date. Keep the reply.

As of the date checked, no virtual asset service provider had been approved. Large exchanges have also announced applications on their own: OKX said it filed on Oct 16, 2026, according to a BitNotícias report based on Exame. These are company announcements, to be confirmed on each company's official channel.

What to do in each situation

The exchange applied on time

It may keep operating during the review. Keep the usual precautions: do not leave on the platform more than you use for trading, turn on two-step verification and follow the notices. The application does not protect you from falling crypto prices or from a negative Central Bank decision later on.

The exchange announced it will leave Brazil or stop serving customers

Several already have. Bitso stops serving retail customers directly by October 30, Crypto.com closes its Brazilian real account on October 25 and Ripio stops holding real balances from October 30, according to a BitNotícias survey from Oct 10, 2026. In these cases:

• note the last day to withdraw reais and crypto, which may differ from the last day to trade;
• check whether your balance will be converted automatically, for example into a stablecoin or into reais, and whether you agree to it;
• withdraw early instead of waiting for the last day, when support tends to be overloaded;
• download your trade history and statements before the account closes, because you need them for your income tax return.

Your account will be migrated to another company

Foreign platforms that served Brazilians had to transfer operations and customers to a company qualified in the country by October 30. The rule requires the transfer to preserve continuity of service, keep the company's assets separate from customers' assets and obtain the customer's informed consent. Read the new terms, check the name and CNPJ of the company taking over the account, and know that you can decline the migration and withdraw your assets.

The exchange says nothing

Silence a few days before the deadline is a warning sign. Ask in writing. If the answer is unclear, consider moving your assets to an exchange that has already filed or to a wallet of your own. The guide Self-custody in 2026 explains how to hold crypto yourself and the risk of losing access.

What changes from November 6

From November 6, banks and payment institutions are barred from carrying out or enabling transactions with virtual asset providers that are not authorized to operate in the country. The ban covers payment accounts, transfers and foreign exchange used for those transactions. In practice, a platform in that situation may lose its bank account and access to Pix, Brazil's instant payment system, and you may lose an easy way to deposit or withdraw reais.

One point remains open. The original text of Resolution 520 barred transactions with providers "not authorized or in the process of authorization". Resolution 589, of Sep 23, 2026, removed the words "in the process of authorization" and kept the exception for arrangements "expressly authorized" in the resolution itself. The same resolution allows providers that filed on time to keep operating during the review. As of the date checked, the Central Bank had not published guidance on how banks should treat these companies. So even an exchange with an application under review may face changes to deposits and withdrawals.

Watch out for scams tied to the deadline

Regulatory deadlines attract scammers. Be wary of messages that:

• ask for a "regularization fee" or "release fee" before you can withdraw your balance;
• say the Central Bank will freeze your account unless you click a link;
• ask for your password, verification code or wallet recovery phrase;
• offer to move your assets to an unknown "authorized platform".

The Central Bank does not contact customers to release exchange balances. Use only the official app and the web address you already know, typed in yourself. See also security routine for holders.

What authorization guarantees and what it does not

Authorization requires the company to keep customers' money and crypto separate from its own assets, hold minimum capital, maintain internal controls and a cybersecurity policy, and report to the Central Bank. That reduces some risks for anyone who keeps funds at an exchange.

It does not guarantee profit, does not prevent volatility and does not recover crypto sent to the wrong address or lost to a scam. As of the date checked, the rules did not provide a guarantee fund for crypto like the FGC that covers bank deposits in Brazil. And an application under review is still not an authorization.

Checklist through the end of November

• Confirm on the official channel whether your exchange filed by October 30, and under which company and CNPJ.
• Check the Central Bank's authorization process database, keeping in mind that it lags.
• If the exchange is leaving the country, note the withdrawal deadline and withdraw early.
• Accept or decline an account migration only after reading the terms of the company taking over.
• Download statements and trade history from every platform you use.
• Turn on two-step verification and double-check withdrawal addresses.
• Ignore requests for fees or passwords made in the Central Bank's name.
• If you switch exchanges, compare fees, reserves and support first; the guide How to choose a crypto exchange can help.

Frequently asked questions

What happens on October 30, 2026?

It is the last day for virtual asset service providers already operating in Brazil to file the first phase of their authorization application with the Central Bank. It is not the day authorizations are granted.

Will my exchange shut down on the 31st?

Not necessarily. Those that filed on time may keep operating during the review. Those that did not have up to 30 days to wind down their virtual asset services, and may lose access to banks and Pix before that, from November 6.

Will I lose my crypto if the exchange leaves Brazil?

Your crypto is still yours, and the exchanges that announced their exit have published deadlines for withdrawals or transfers. The risk lies in missing that deadline, accepting a conversion without noticing or falling for a scam. If the company runs into financial trouble, recovering assets can be slow. Follow the notices and withdraw early.

How do I know whether an exchange is authorized?

As of the date checked, no virtual asset service provider had been authorized. What you can verify is whether it filed: through the official notice, the Central Bank's authorization process database and a written reply from support.

Can a foreign exchange keep serving Brazilians?

To stay in the country, a foreign platform had to transfer operations and customers to a company qualified in Brazil by October 30. From November 6, banks and payment institutions cannot enable transactions with providers not authorized to operate in the country, which makes it harder to deposit and withdraw reais on those platforms.

Do I need to do anything if I only use my own wallet?

The October 30 deadline is for companies, not for people who hold crypto themselves. The rules on transfers between exchanges and self-custody wallets are in Brazil's Central Bank rules for exchanges and self-custody wallets.

Informational and educational content. It does not constitute investment advice, an offer or a solicitation to buy or sell assets.

Sources: Central Bank of Brazil — BCB Resolution 520, Nov 10, 2025 (consolidated text); Central Bank of Brazil — BCB Resolution 589, Sep 23, 2026; Central Bank of Brazil — BCB Normative Instruction 704, Jan 29, 2026; Central Bank of Brazil — open data, open authorization processes (reference date Sep 30, 2026); Capital Aberto — Central Bank deadline tightens the net on virtual assets (Oct 7, 2026); BitNotícias — only 5 companies applied for a crypto license (Sep 18, 2026); BitNotícias — which exchanges applied, which will and which are leaving Brazil (Oct 10, 2026); BitNotícias — OKX and Brasil Bitcoin apply for a license (Oct 17, 2026). Checked on Oct 19, 2026.