Spend in dollars with an international card
How an international dollar card works, acceptance, what you pay, and why it usually costs far less than a Brazilian card.
How a dollar card works
- The money sits in your dollar balance (you receive in dollars or convert reais for 0.5%).
- Each purchase debits that dollar balance, with no new conversion.
- The card is international: accepted at millions of stores, contactless, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Real card vs dollar card
What you pay with Ruvo
Why digital dollars don’t pay IOF
Where a dollar card pays off most
- Travel: hotels, restaurants, transport and shopping abroad.
- Software & subscriptions: work tools, AI, streaming and apps billed in dollars.
- Ads: Meta, Google and other media platforms.
- International online shopping: foreign stores charging in dollars or another currency.
How to get started
- Open the account with your CPF (or company, for a business).
- Add dollars, via Pix (0.5% to convert) or by receiving directly in dollars.
- Use the virtual card right away; the physical card ships on request (handy for hotels and car rentals).
- Spend contactless, with Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Tips to spend smarter
- Always pay in the local currency. Abroad, when the terminal asks whether to charge in dollars or the local currency, choose the local currency: the terminal's own markup can run 10% to 20% and is outside Ruvo's control, while Ruvo converts at 1% on non-dollar purchases. In the US, the card is charged in dollars, the local currency.
- Keep balance for pre-authorizations. Hotels and car rentals hold a larger amount as a deposit; it is released later.
- Control in the app. Set spending limits and lock or freeze the card whenever you want.
| Cost factor | Ruvo dollar card | Brazilian credit card |
|---|---|---|
| IOF on purchases | 0% | 3.5% |
| FX spread | 0% (dollar purchases) | 3% to 7% |
| Total cost on dollar purchases | ~0% | ~4% to 10.5% |
| Load from reais | 0.5% at commercial rate | 3% to 7% (tourist rate) |
| Pix payout from balance | Yes — any Pix key | Not available |
| Spend the dollar balance | Free | — |
Because it avoids IOF (3.5% on Brazilian cards) and the conversion spread. With a dollar balance, you spend directly in USD, with no double conversion.
Dollar purchases have 0% spread. Purchases in other currencies have a 1% FX fee, always with 0% IOF.
You can use the dollar balance you already have or load the card from reais (0.5%). Either way, with no IOF.
No. Receiving dollars, fiat (via ACH) or digital, is free and instant, and spending in dollars on the card is too. The only cost is 0.5% to convert reais to dollars, if you need to.
Always choose the local currency. If the terminal converts for you (dynamic currency conversion), you pay their spread. With a dollar balance, you've already secured the commercial rate.
Yes. The card is virtual and works with both contactless systems, which cover most merchants globally, especially in the US and Europe.
