Nomad vs Ruvo

Nomad is a Brazilian dollar account with investing and millions of users, a solid, established option. Ruvo is a global, self-custody account built to receive, hold and spend dollars with 0% IOF and flat rates. The difference shows up in the fees, in who controls the money, and in how the two are evolving.

Ruvo is a global account built on a self-custody wallet: your dollars are held as dollar-backed stablecoin (USDC/USDT) that you control, not pooled on a balance sheet you cannot see. Nomad, like a traditional account, is custodial, it holds your funds for you. With Ruvo, you can hold, move and withdraw your dollars on-chain whenever you want.

Ruvo adds a digital-dollar balance (USDC/USDT), instant Pix in and out, and an international card with 0% IOF and 0% spread (1% on non-dollar purchases), so the balance you receive is the balance you spend. Beyond that, Ruvo lets you send to any crypto wallet, pay Brazilian contractors via Pix directly from your dollar balance, and receive from any ACH or SWIFT source without triggering IOF. Nomad is strong within its own ecosystem; Ruvo connects to more of the financial infrastructure that a business working between Brazil and the US actually uses day to day.

Nomad's investing is one of its draws. Ruvo is adding yield and investment products of its own, including equities, on top of the dollar account. You also get both a personal (PF) and a business (PJ) account, with free transfers between them, all with 0% IOF and the same flat rates. See also the best account to receive USD.

Nomad is a fair choice if you want its established investment products today and a large, well-known platform, and it offers airport lounge access in São Paulo. Ruvo's edge is 0% IOF, flat rates with no tiers, self-custody, and a growing set of yield and investment options, with closer support.

Ruvo lets you send dollars internationally by Pix, ACH, Wire, or to any crypto wallet — Nomad only sends to US accounts (US$10 per Wire). On the spending side, Ruvo's card works abroad at 0% IOF and 0% FX spread on dollar purchases; non-dollar purchases carry a 1% conversion fee. On Nomad, IOF (3.5%) is charged when you fund the account; the card then spends from that balance. For Brazilians who travel or pay international subscriptions regularly, the card difference alone can outweigh the fee gap many times over.

Third-party fees and tiers change often, and IOF rules for digital assets are still evolving in Brazil. Figures reflect public data from mid-2026; confirm current fees on each provider's official site before deciding.