What started as a tool for instant money transfers has become one of the most used payment methods by Brazilians. In just a few years, PIX began to lead transactions in the country and has now also entered the center of a commercial dispute between Brazil and the United States. ? A few months before the Brazilian presidential elections, the payment system created by the Central Bank became one of the points of friction between the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and the administration of Donald Trump. Washington accuses Brazil of favoring a state payment system and giving treatment considered unfavorable to American companies operating in the sector, especially credit card operators. "We don't need to pay any fees for PIX. With a credit card there are fees, annual fees, bank fees... Not with Pix," Paulo Ricardo Conceição, owner of a drinks kiosk on Copacabana Beach that displays the system's logo, told AFP. In addition to PIX, the American government questions other Brazilian policies that it considers discriminatory. Based on these criticisms, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is evaluating the adoption of 25% tariffs on part of Brazilian exports. The decision should be announced in the coming days. READ ALSO: Brazil goes to the US to try to stop Trump's tariffs; see the arguments from industry and agriculture Trump's tariff: decisive hearing for the future of taxes on Brazilian products closes registrations; see how it works Why is PIX important? Launched in 2020, PIX became the most used payment method in Brazil. According to the Central Bank, responsible for developing the system, it accounts for 54% of all transactions carried out in the country. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, stated, in a letter sent to the USTR, that PIX managed to include millions of Brazilians who were previously outside the traditional banking system. Today, around 80% of the population uses the tool to make payments and transfers of the most varied amounts — from buying a coconut on the beach to purchasing a property — in just a few seconds. "In the past we had to carry cash. Now you just take your cell phone and do the PIX right away. I think it's made everyone's life a lot easier," Ingrid Ferreira, a 32-year-old public servant in Brasília, told AFP. The broad support made PIX one of the few themes that gather support from different political groups. Surveys indicate that more than 90% of Brazilians evaluate the system positively. What does the United States dispute? In Washington's assessment, the Central Bank simultaneously plays the role of operator and regulator of the PIX, which would constitute a conflict of interests and place American companies at a competitive disadvantage. The Trump government also states that banks are obliged to highlight PIX on the home page of their applications and cannot charge users fees for the service. "This forces American providers to promote their Brazilian competitor," stated the USTR, which considers this treatment "unfair." According to a Brazilian government source interviewed by AFP, the main dissatisfaction comes from credit card companies, whose participation in transactions carried out in the country fell from 23% to 15% since the launch of PIX. "A large part of the Brazilian population works informally or is made up of small business owners and micro-entrepreneurs, who previously depended heavily on large card operators and had to pay fees", explained Marco Sanfins, professor at the Fluminense Federal University, to AFP. How does Brazil respond? The Brazilian government rejects the accusations and argues that PIX expanded the digital payments market, including benefiting American companies, such as Google and Visa. The Central Bank also states that, since the creation of PIX, the number of card users in the country has continued to grow. According to Brasília, the American government also sees PIX and similar systems as a possible threat to the international predominance of the dollar. In addition to Brazil, countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, India and Colombia have also developed national instant payment systems. Why did the topic gain a political dimension? The dispute occurs at a time of strong political tension between Brazil and the United States. In October, Lula will run for reelection against senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ), son of former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL). Trump imposed tariffs on Brazil last year and called Jair Bolsonaro's trial a "witch hunt." Subsequently, most of these tariffs were repealed. Faced with American criticism of the PIX, Flávio Bolsonaro sought to distance himself from Washington's position in relation to a system implemented during his father's government. "PIX is good for Brazil. And, oddly enough, it is also good for the United States", said the senator after participating in a meeting at the USTR, in Washington. Trump government concludes that Pix is ??'unfair': why does the Brazilian system bother the US so much and what can happen to it now? Marcello Casal Jr/Agência Brasil