Arrived in Buenos Aires or Sao Paulo? Your Card Is Costing You 10-25% on Every Purchase

Everything runs on Mercado Pago and Pix. Your foreign card gives you a terrible rate. There is a way to pay like a local from the day you arrive.

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Arrived in Buenos Aires or Sao Paulo? Your Card Is Costing You 10-25% on Every Purchase

You landed in Argentina or Brazil ready to explore. Then you tried to pay. Everything in Buenos Aires runs on Mercado Pago QR codes. In Sao Paulo, merchants expect Pix. Your foreign credit card works at some places, but the exchange rate is terrible. The cash exchange at the airport offered you 30% less than the real rate. Street exchangers seem risky. You are stuck paying tourist prices on everything.

There is a way to pay like a local from the day you arrive.

The Problem: The Tourist Exchange Rate Trap

Tourists in Argentina and Brazil face a hidden tax on everything they buy. The price tag says one thing, but what you actually pay in dollars depends entirely on how you convert your money.

Credit and Debit Cards

In Argentina, your card converts at the MEP rate — a regulated exchange rate that is 10-25% worse than the real market rate. A $50 dinner actually costs you $59-$63. A week of spending at $500 becomes $543-$667. In Brazil, cards are hit with IOF (a financial operations tax of up to 3.5%) plus foreign transaction fees.

Cards also cannot scan Mercado Pago QR codes, which means many small shops, street food vendors, and kiosks are off-limits entirely.

Airport and Hotel Exchange

Airport exchange counters offer rates 20-40% worse than the market. Hotels are slightly better but still mark up significantly. Both target tourists who have no other option.

ATM Withdrawals

International ATMs in Argentina charge fees and convert at the official bank rate, which is 15-35% worse than the market rate. In Brazil, ATM fees from both your bank and the local ATM operator add up quickly.

Street Exchange (Blue Dollar)

In Argentina, the informal "blue dollar" market offers better rates, but the risks are real: counterfeit bills, safety concerns, and no receipts. Not how most travelers want to start their trip.

The Core Problem

Without a DNI in Argentina or CPF in Brazil, you cannot access the local payment systems that millions of residents use daily. You are locked out of the best rates and the most convenient payment methods.

How Peanut Solves This

Peanut lets you pay at local merchants in Argentina and Brazil from the day you arrive — using Mercado Pago QR and Pix — without a local ID, without a local bank account, and at a far better exchange rate.

• Pay like a local. Scan Mercado Pago QR codes at restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, and kiosks across Argentina. Use Pix at virtually every merchant in Brazil. You pay the same way locals pay.

• Better exchange rate. In Argentina, Peanut gives you the cripto dolar rate — approximately 5-8% better than the MEP rate your card uses (estimate, as of 2026), and far better than airport or hotel exchange. In Brazil, you save up to 3.5% because IOF does not apply.

• No local ID needed. No DNI, no CPF, no local bank account. Verify with your passport from any country. Verification takes under 2 minutes.

• No fees. Deposits free. Payments free. No percentage-based charges. The rate you see is the rate you pay.

• Works immediately. Set up your account, deposit funds, and start scanning QR codes. No waiting period, no paperwork.

Where It Works

Argentina

Argentina is where tourists feel the exchange rate pain most acutely. The gap between what your card charges and what you should be paying is enormous.

Where you can pay:

• Restaurants and cafes — scan the Mercado Pago QR on the table or at the register
• Supermarkets — Carrefour, Dia, Coto, Jumbo all accept Mercado Pago QR
• Street food and kiosks — the vendors with QR code stickers accept Mercado Pago
• Clothing and electronics stores
• Pharmacies
• Over 1,000,000 merchants across the country

Need cash? Withdraw pesos from Red ATMs in Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Mendoza, Rosario, Bariloche, Salta, and Ushuaia using a QR code. No card needed.

Savings on a typical tourist week ($500 spending):

Everything about Peanut in Argentina

Brazil

Brazil runs on Pix. Over 150 million people use it, and virtually every merchant — from high-end restaurants to street vendors — accepts it. As a tourist, you normally cannot access Pix without a CPF and a Brazilian bank account. Peanut removes both requirements.

Where you can pay:

• Restaurants and cafes
• Supermarkets and grocery stores
• Gas stations
• Ride-hailing (Uber, 99)
• Hotels and hostels
• Online stores
• Street vendors and markets
• Virtually anywhere that displays a Pix QR code

Rate advantage: Save up to 3.5% — IOF does not apply to Peanut's conversion. Credit cards and traditional transfers are subject to IOF. Over a two-week trip spending $1,500, that is $52 or more saved.

Everything about Peanut in Brazil

How to Get Started

1. 1

   Sign up for Peanut

   Create your account to get started.

2. 2

   Verify with your passport

   Any nationality. Upload a photo and take a selfie. Under 2 minutes. Your documents are processed by a certified third-party provider — Peanut never sees or stores them.

3. 3

   Deposit funds

   From Europe: SEPA bank transfer — free. From the US: ACH or wire. Or deposit USDC or USDT from any wallet or exchange on Solana, Arbitrum, Base, Tron, or Ethereum. All deposits are free.

4. 4

   Start paying

   Open the app, scan a Mercado Pago QR in Argentina or Pix QR in Brazil, confirm, done. Your digital dollars convert to local currency at the market rate at that moment.

Disclaimer

The information on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Tax treatment of digital asset transactions varies by jurisdiction and may change. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.

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