Banco Central do Brasil has finalized a rule requiring Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) to hold certain crypto and stablecoin transactions for up to 24 hours, giving them time to run compliance checks before processing the transfer. The delay applies where a customer’s transactions reach $10,000 or more, whether in a single transfer or in daily aggregate, and the destination is either an offshore virtual asset entity or a self hosted wallet. VASPs can also apply the hold to other transactions flagged by their own risk management policies. The rule takes effect on 1 January 2027.
The central bank emphasized that the hold is not intended as a freeze or a block on funds. Once a VASP has completed its risk assessment, it can release the funds before the 24 hour period expires. VASPs must inform clients about any hold and maintain records of fraud incidents, attempted fraud and the corrective measures they take.
The central bank pointed to the growing use of virtual assets, including stablecoins, for rapidly moving funds obtained through financial fraud to offshore destinations or self hosted wallets, making prevention and recovery harder.
The rule was first proposed in late July as a fast tracked rulemaking and finalized on 7 August, roughly two weeks later. Industry body ABcripto submitted a detailed response during the consultation period raising several objections, though the final rule appears largely unchanged.
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