Argentine tourists will be able to pay with Pix at a network of about 30,000 merchants in Chile, thanks to a deal between Brazilian company PagBrasil and Chile's Klap, the card-terminal network recently bought by Itaú. The traveler scans a QR code on the merchant's terminal and pays from their bank or digital-wallet app, seeing the amount converted into Argentine pesos before confirming, according to the announcement reported by Ladevi on November 2, 2026, and by Mercado on October 28.
*Updated November 3, 2026.* The announcement gives no launch date and no list of the Argentine banks and wallets that will work in Chile. Below is what is confirmed and what is not.
What was announced about Pix in Chile
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Companies | PagBrasil (Brazil) and Klap (Chile) | Ladevi and Mercado |
| Merchant network | About 30,000 businesses: shops, restaurants, hotels and others | Mercado, Oct 28, 2026 |
| Background | PagBrasil has offered Pix in Chile since 2025 through VirtualPOS | Ladevi |
| How you pay | The merchant enters the amount in Chilean pesos and selects Pix; the tourist scans the QR with their app | PagBrasil, via Ladevi |
| Conversion | Real time; the tourist sees the amount in their currency before confirming | Mercado |
| Argentine integration | PagBrasil agreements with COELSA and MODO | Ladevi and Mercado |
| Launch date | Not announced | Ladevi |
| Banks and wallets enabled | Not announced for Argentina | Ladevi |
Pix is the instant-payment system of Brazil's Central Bank. Argentines adopted it en masse in the 2026 summer, when several wallets added it for paying at Brazilian beaches. The idea now is to bring the same experience to Chile: "With the Klap integration, we are expanding the number of Chilean businesses that can offer Argentines a more familiar payment experience," said Ralf Germer, CEO and co-founder of PagBrasil.
Why Argentines are the focus of Pix in Chile
Argentina is Chile's top tourism market. In 2025, 2,856,441 Argentines arrived, up 36.8% on 2024 and almost half of the year's 6,004,567 foreign tourists, according to the foreign tourist arrivals data from Chile's Undersecretariat of Tourism and Sernatur. In 2026, however, the flow dropped because of the exchange rate: from January to August, 1,226,678 Argentines arrived, 41.0% fewer than in the same period of 2025.
| Country | Jan-Aug 2026 | Jan-Aug 2025 | Change | Full year 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 1,226,678 | 2,077,437 | -41.0% | 2,856,441 |
| Brazil | 510,492 | 499,146 | +2.3% | 681,649 |
| Paraguay | 16,735 | 14,558 | +15.0% | 23,479 |
| Total foreign tourists | 3,308,873 | 4,090,538 | -19.1% | 6,004,567 |
Source: Undersecretariat of Tourism and Sernatur, "Cuadro por Nacionalidad" sheet (October 2026 release, data through August). Changes calculated by Viajando Chile. Brazil and Paraguay are included because Pix already works for their travelers: Klap describes its service for Brazilian tourists paying with their bank apps, and Contacto News reported that customers of Paraguayan banks such as Itaú Paraguay, Banco Atlas and Banco Basa can use it via Bancard. Market details are in Argentine tourists in Chile and Brazilian tourists in Chile.
How to pay with Pix in Chile, step by step
- The merchant enters the amount in Chilean pesos on its Klap terminal and selects Pix.
- The terminal displays a QR code. The tourist scans it with a compatible bank or wallet app.
- The app shows the converted amount in the tourist's currency (Argentine pesos, reais or guaraníes) before confirming.
- The tourist confirms and the merchant's terminal receives the payment approval.
That is how PagBrasil described it. For the Chilean merchant, the payment is just another sale; the currency conversion is handled by PagBrasil and the tourist's bank or wallet.
What is still unclear
| Question | Status as of November 3, 2026 |
|---|---|
| From what date does it work for Argentines? | Not announced |
| Which Argentine banks and wallets work? | Not announced; Ladevi notes that having used Pix in Brazil does not guarantee the same app will work in Chile |
| How many of the 30,000 merchants will have it active from day one? | Not detailed |
| In what currency is it charged, and at what rate? | Depends on each bank or wallet; not published |
| Is it cheaper than a card? | Cannot be concluded from the available information |
Source: Ladevi, November 2, 2026. The outlet adds that MODO's published terms describe in-person purchases in Brazil settled in dollars, and that those conditions do not by themselves confirm how the service will work in Chile.
Do you run a shop, hotel or restaurant that welcomes Argentine and Brazilian tourists? Reach them before they travel, in four languages.
See advertising optionsWhat to do before paying with Pix in Chile
- Check in your app whether it offers Pix payments abroad and whether that includes Chile.
- Compare the final amount shown by the app with what you would pay by card or cash: each provider sets its own rate.
- Ask the merchant whether its Klap terminal already has Pix enabled before ordering.
- Carry a second payment method. Outside cities and in the mountains mobile signal drops, and the QR does not work offline.
- Keep an eye on the dollar in Chile: the official observed rate fell to CLP 981.82 on November 3, 2026, according to the Central Bank (via mindicador.cl), after closing at CLP 977.3 on Monday the 2nd, CNN Chile reported.
To plan your budget, see how much a trip to Chile costs, our story on the dollar near CLP 1,000 and our safety tips for tourists in Chile.
Frequently asked questions
Can you pay with Pix in Chile?
Yes, at merchants that have it enabled. PagBrasil has offered it since 2025 through VirtualPOS and is now adding it to Klap's network of about 30,000 merchants.
Can Argentines already pay with Pix in Chile?
The announcement says they will, but it gave no start date and did not say which Argentine banks and wallets will work. Check your own app before traveling.
In what currency do you pay with Pix in Chile?
The merchant charges in Chilean pesos and the tourist's app shows the equivalent in their currency before confirming. Each provider sets the exchange rate.
What is Klap?
A Chilean card-acquiring network of payment terminals for merchants, recently bought by Itaú, according to Mercado.
