International card fees, item by item
- IOF: 3.5% on international purchases with Brazil-issued cards (Decree 12.499/2025).
- FX spread: the margin baked into the rate; at banks it can reach 7% over the commercial dollar, without showing on the statement.
- Dynamic conversion (DCC): when the terminal offers to convert the purchase, almost always at a worse rate.
- Withdrawals abroad: many cards charge a fixed fee plus a percentage per ATM withdrawal outside the country.
- Annual or maintenance fee: some cards charge a monthly or annual fee just to keep the account.
The 3.5% IOF and the global-account route
Decree 12.499/2025 unified international-card IOF at 3.5%: reversing the cut that would have taken it to zero by 2028. Since mid-2025, funding a global account to spend abroad also pays 3.5%, so the saving there is only the spread; Ruvo, on stablecoin, stays at 0%. Travelers can compare Ruvo vs Nomad.
The spread the bank does not show
Beyond IOF, banks bake a spread into the rate that can reach 7% over the commercial dollar, invisible at the moment of purchase. On the Ruvo card, dollar purchases have 0% spread.
What it costs on a US$1,000 purchase
- Brazilian card: 3.5% IOF (US$35) + a 2% to 7% spread (US$20 to US$70) = US$55 to US$105.
- Ruvo card: 0.5% to add dollars from reais (US$5) and dollar spending free = ~US$5. If you already earn in dollars, you spend at no cost.
How Ruvo charges
In short: 0% IOF on everything, 0.5% to convert reais to digital dollars (commercial rate), and dollar spending free: 1% only on other currencies. No surprise annual fee, no hidden conversion. See how a dollar card works and what it saves on a US trip.
Watch out for dynamic conversion (DCC)
Abroad, the terminal sometimes offers to convert the purchase into dollars for you (dynamic currency conversion). That markup can run 10% to 20%, it is set by the terminal and Ruvo has no control over it. With a dollar card like Ruvo's, always choose the local currency, not dollars, so Ruvo converts (1% on non-dollar purchases) instead. If there is no local-currency option, decline the conversion. In the US, the card is simply charged in dollars, the local currency.
Brazilian card vs Ruvo card
| Fee | Ruvo card | Typical Brazilian card |
|---|---|---|
| IOF | 0% | 3.5% |
| Convert reais to dollars | 0.5% (commercial rate) | 3% to 7% (baked-in spread) |
| Spending in dollars | Free | Subject to IOF + spread |
| Purchases in other currencies | 1% FX, 0% IOF | IOF + spread |
Sources
- Decree 12.499/2025, IOF on international cards — Planalto
- IOF on international travel, what changed (CRCSP)
Updated on October 7, 2026
This content is for information only and is not financial or tax advice. How we write
