International account comparisons

Most side-by-side comparisons focus on FX fees. For Brazilians moving money internationally, the dominant cost is often IOF — a federal tax that reaches 3.5% depending on the instrument and direction. A platform with slightly higher fees but zero IOF typically wins on total cost. Understanding which platforms charge IOF, and when, is the starting point for any honest comparison. The pages in this cluster show the full maths for each pair, including worked examples at real balances. Nomad vs Ruvo and Wise vs Ruvo are a good place to start.

Under Brazilian rules, FX IOF depends on the operation: around 3.5% on a foreign-currency current account and 1.1% on remittances meant for investment. On platforms like Nomad, incoming reais fall into these brackets depending on the operation. Ruvo works as a dollar account with 0% IOF: you receive, hold, and spend in dollars with no IOF, in either direction. To convert dollars back to reais, competitors still pass through the 0.38% IOF (0% on correctly classified export revenue); with Ruvo it's 0%.

The structural split across these platforms is whether you actually hold dollars. Husky routes international Wire transfers through SWIFT and converts them to reais on arrival — you receive reais, not dollars. Nomad and Wise let you hold dollars but charge IOF when you fund the account with reais. With Ruvo, your dollars sit in a US account under your control, with conversion available on demand at a flat rate. Read the Husky vs Ruvo comparison for a detailed breakdown of the receive-and-convert model.

Nomad's FX conversion rate improves with your Nomad Pass points — from 2% at Tier 1 to 1% at Tier 5 (more than 20,000 points; every US$1 or €1 earns 1 point). At typical contractor and/or freelancer volumes the rate sits at 1.4%–2%. Add the 3.5% IOF on funding the account and the all-in cost is 4.9%–5.5% per conversion. Ruvo charges 0.5% flat with no minimum balance requirement. The full Nomad vs Ruvo page shows the break-even point at each tier.

Higlobe and TechFX advertise conversion percentages in the 0.2%–0.5% range, depending on the service. Compare the exchange rate and final amount received, as well as the features available for your account. Ruvo offers personal and business accounts, a card, Pix, and USDC or USDT transfers to compatible wallets. See Higlobe vs Ruvo and TechFX vs Ruvo.

Start with what you need to do: receive, convert, hold, or spend. Compare the costs and features available for your account type. If your business receives payments from abroad, also look at Higlobe and TechFX. Confirm the terms through official channels before choosing.