Economy

VR and VA can be accepted in more machines from Saturday

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Briefings

Brazil's Programa de Alimentação do Trabalhador (PAT) will implement interoperability for work benefit cards starting November 7, allowing different operators' cards to be used at any eligible payment terminal. This change, effective November 7, 2026, expands benefit usage options in restaurants and supermarkets while maintaining the same benefit values. The government aims to stimulate competition and simplify payment processes, though operational challenges remain as systems integration is not yet complete. Key measures include a maximum 3.6% fee cap for operators, a 2% interchange rate limit, and a 15-day payment turnaround. The measure applies only to PAT-linked benefits, not the separate auxilio-alimentação program, which faces separate regulatory treatment.

Key points

• Interoperability between work benefit cards (vale-refeição and vale-alimentação) will allow different operators' cards to be used at any eligible payment terminal starting November 7, 2026.
• The maximum fee cap for operators on PAT-linked transactions is 3.6%, with a 2% interchange rate limit, and payments must be repassed within 15 days.

Context

This update modernizes Brazil's Programa de Alimentação do Trabalhador (PAT), which was established in 1976. The November 7 implementation expands benefit usage options in restaurants and supermarkets while maintaining the same benefit values. The measure applies only to PAT-linked benefits, not the separate auxilio-alimentação program, which faces separate regulatory treatment.

Limitations

Operational challenges remain as systems integration is not yet complete. The measure applies only to PAT-linked benefits, not the separate auxilio-alimentação program, which faces separate regulatory treatment. Some judicial challenges to fee limits and structural changes persist, and specific payment channels may not function fully as expected.

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