How much does Banco do Brasil charge foreign cards at ATMs?

Banco do Brasil does not add its own operator fee, but every withdrawal carries Brazil's federal IOF tax (currently about 1.1 percent on a foreign debit withdrawal, around 3.5 percent on a credit-card cash advance), which is set centrally and unavoidable. The bigger practical cost is structural, not a fee: Banco do Brasil caps foreign-card withdrawals low (often ~R$500 per day) and disables them between roughly 10pm and 6am, so you may need several daytime withdrawals, each carrying the IOF tax and your home bank's fees. It dispenses at the real interbank rate; always decline DCC and choose reais. For a higher cap, Bradesco (up to ~R$2,500) is the better choice when available.

Where can I find Banco do Brasil ATMs in Brazil?

Almost everywhere, which is its defining advantage. As the state-controlled giant, Banco do Brasil has the widest footprint in the country: branches and ATMs across Rio (Copacabana, Ipanema, Botafogo, Centro, the malls), São Paulo, Salvador, Brasília, the airports (GIG, GRU, and most regional ones), and crucially the smaller towns and interior where Bradesco and Santander may not reach. When you travel beyond the big-city tourist zones, Banco do Brasil is the machine you are most likely to find. Use units inside branches, malls, or airports in daylight rather than street-facing standalones.

Why does Banco do Brasil disable my card at night?

As an anti-fraud and anti-robbery measure, Banco do Brasil (like most Brazilian banks) disables cash withdrawals, especially on foreign cards, between roughly 10pm and 6am. This is directly tied to the express-kidnapping (sequestro relâmpago) risk, where victims are forced to make late-night ATM withdrawals; cutting overnight access reduces the incentive. The practical consequence is to plan your withdrawals for daytime and carry a small cash cushion or a pre-ordered amount so a late arrival or late night out does not leave you stranded. Airport Banco do Brasil ATMs generally stay available 24 hours.

Banco do Brasil for Travelers: Most Ubiquitous, Low Cap, Night-Off

Q: What is Banco do Brasil?

Banco do Brasil is the oldest and one of the largest banks in Brazil, founded in 1808, and is controlled by the Brazilian federal government (which holds a majority stake; the rest trades on the B3 exchange). It has the most ubiquitous branch and ATM network in the country, reaching small towns and the interior where private banks thin out, and it is historically one of the most reliable Brazilian networks for foreign Visa and Mastercard, with an English-language menu. For travelers the trade-off is the low foreign-card withdrawal cap (often around R$500 per day) and the overnight disabling of foreign-card withdrawals, so it is the everywhere-bank but not the high-limit one.

Q: Is Banco do Brasil in the Bank of America Global ATM Alliance?

No, and this is a persistent myth worth correcting: Banco do Brasil is not, and never has been, a member of the Bank of America Global ATM Alliance. No Brazilian bank is in the Alliance. So a BoA debit card at a Banco do Brasil ATM pays BoA's 3 percent non-network surcharge plus the federal IOF tax. The cleanest setup for Brazil is a Charles Schwab Investor Checking card (zero FX fee, refunds operator fees, though the IOF tax still applies as a government tax) or a Wise card (zero FX markup). Because Brazil is so card-friendly, the best strategy is to lean on a no-FX-fee contactless card and use Banco do Brasil only for modest daytime cash pulls.

Q: Is Banco do Brasil safe and reliable for foreign cards?

Yes, with the cap caveat. Banco do Brasil is one of the more reliable Brazilian networks for foreign Visa and Mastercard, with a modern EMV system and an English menu, and its machines are everywhere, including the interior. The downsides are the low foreign-card cap (~R$500) and the overnight disabling, not reliability. For safety, use Banco do Brasil ATMs inside branches, malls, and airports during daylight, decline DCC, and avoid street-facing standalones at night. If you need a larger single withdrawal, Bradesco's higher cap (up to ~R$2,500) is the better tool when one is nearby.

🇧🇷 This is the brand hub for Banco do Brasil. For the bigger picture on Brazilian banking, the cards-and-Pix economy, the IOF tax, the overnight ATM limits, and the always-decline-DCC rule, see the Brazil Money Guide. For exact ATM locations in Rio, see the Rio ATM Guide. For neighborhood card acceptance and the contactless Metrô, see the Rio Money Guide. For the higher-cap, most-foreign-card-friendly bank, see the Bradesco guide.

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What Banco do Brasil is, in one paragraph

Banco do Brasil is the oldest bank in the country and one of the largest in Latin America, founded in 1808 when the Portuguese court relocated to Rio de Janeiro. It is a mixed-economy company controlled by the Brazilian federal government, which holds a majority stake, with the remainder listed on the B3 stock exchange in São Paulo. Its defining feature for a traveler is reach: Banco do Brasil has the most ubiquitous branch and ATM network in the country, the bank you find in the small interior towns as well as the big cities, with a reliable EMV system and an English-language menu that make it one of the more dependable Brazilian networks for foreign Visa and Mastercard. The catch is not reliability but limits: it caps foreign-card withdrawals low (often around R$500 per day) and disables foreign cards overnight, and like every Brazilian bank it passes through the federal IOF tax on each withdrawal.

Why Banco do Brasil matters: the everywhere-bank with a low ceiling

Brazilian ATMs are inconsistent for foreign cards, which makes the choice of bank matter more than in most countries. Banco do Brasil's strength is coverage: it is the most-everywhere network, so on a trip that ventures beyond Rio's South Zone, to the historic Northeast, the Pantanal, the Amazon gateway cities, or the small beach towns, Banco do Brasil is the machine you are most likely to find working, with an English menu and dependable foreign-card acceptance.

Its weakness is the ceiling. The low foreign-card cap (often ~R$500) means a serious cash run takes several withdrawals, each carrying the unavoidable IOF tax (~1.1 percent on debit) and any home-bank fee, and the overnight disabling between roughly 10pm and 6am can strand a late arrival. By contrast, Bradesco carries a much higher cap (up to ~R$2,500), so when both are available, Bradesco is the better single-withdrawal tool and Banco do Brasil is the reliable fallback and the interior-coverage bank.

One more correction worth carrying: despite a stubborn myth, Banco do Brasil is not a Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner, and no Brazilian bank is. So a BoA debit card pays the 3 percent non-network surcharge plus IOF at any Banco do Brasil machine. Because Brazil is so card-and-Pix-friendly, the smartest play is to lean on a no-FX-fee contactless card for almost everything and use Banco do Brasil only for modest daytime cash pulls.

What Banco do Brasil charges foreign cards at the ATM

Fee component	Amount	Paid to
Banco do Brasil operator fee	None (no bank surcharge)	The IOF tax still applies
Federal IOF tax	~1.1% on debit (~3.5% on credit cash advance)	Brazilian government (unavoidable)
Foreign-card cap	Often ~R$500/day (low)	Several pulls for a real cash run
Overnight disabling	Foreign cards off ~10pm-6am	Anti-robbery measure; withdraw by day
Exchange rate	Mid-market (interbank, ~R$5.5 per USD)	Visa or Mastercard network
Network coverage	Widest in Brazil (interior + cities)	The everywhere-bank advantage
BoA-side 3% non-network surcharge	+3%	BoA (Brazil has no Alliance partner)
DCC trap on the screen	+4-8% if you accept home currency	Always decline, charge in reais

The IOF tax applies at every Brazilian bank (it is a government tax). For a higher single-withdrawal cap, use Bradesco (~R$2,500). Always decline DCC and withdraw by day.

Where to find Banco do Brasil branches and ATMs in Brazil

Rio de Janeiro: branches and ATMs in Copacabana (Av. Nossa Senhora de Copacabana), Ipanema, Botafogo, the Centro head-office area, and the malls (Rio Sul, BarraShopping), plus the GIG airport.

São Paulo: dense coverage across Paulista, the Centro, the Jardins, and the malls, plus GRU and Congonhas airports.

Brasília, Salvador, Recife, and the Northeast: Banco do Brasil's federal-bank role gives it especially strong coverage in the capital and the Northeast historic cities.

The interior and small towns: this is where Banco do Brasil is unmatched, the bank most likely to have a working ATM in a small Pantanal, Amazon-gateway, or interior beach town where Bradesco and Santander are absent.

Airports: Banco do Brasil ATMs in GIG, GRU, and most regional airports, generally available 24 hours unlike the in-city machines. See the GIG airport currency guide.

Best card pairing with Banco do Brasil

Wise for everything, Banco do Brasil for the interior cash

Brazil runs on cards, so a Wise debit card does most of the work at zero FX markup, including a contactless tap on the Rio Metrô. Use Banco do Brasil's unmatched network for modest daytime cash pulls, especially in the interior where it may be the only working ATM. Pair with a Charles Schwab card to refund any operator fees. Brazil has no Bank of America Alliance partner, so Wise or Schwab is the replacement.

Get the Wise Card →

Use Bradesco for a big pull, Banco do Brasil for coverage

Banco do Brasil's ~R$500 cap means a real cash run takes several IOF-incurring withdrawals. When you need a larger single amount, use a Bradesco machine (up to ~R$2,500). Save Banco do Brasil for the interior and small towns where its network is unmatched.

Withdraw by day, decline DCC

Banco do Brasil disables foreign cards overnight (anti-robbery), so plan daytime withdrawals and keep a small cushion. Every screen offers to charge in your home currency; always decline and choose reais to avoid the 4-8 percent DCC markup on top of the IOF tax.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Banco do Brasil?

The oldest bank in Brazil (founded 1808), federally controlled, with the most ubiquitous ATM network in the country and an English menu.

How much does Banco do Brasil charge foreign cards?

No bank fee, but the federal IOF tax (~1.1% debit) applies, and the foreign-card cap is low (~R$500) with overnight disabling. Bradesco has a higher cap.

Is Banco do Brasil in the Bank of America Global ATM Alliance?

No, and never has been (a common myth). No Brazilian bank is. BoA debit pays the 3% non-network fee plus IOF. Wise or Schwab is the fix.

Where can I find Banco do Brasil ATMs?

Everywhere, including the interior and small towns where private banks are absent, plus all the big cities and airports.

Why does it disable my card at night?

Anti-robbery measure (express-kidnapping risk); foreign cards are off roughly 10pm-6am. Withdraw by day; airport ATMs stay on.

Is Banco do Brasil safe and reliable for foreign cards?

Yes, one of the more reliable Brazilian networks with an English menu. The downsides are the low cap and overnight disabling, not reliability.

Wise + Banco do Brasil

Tap everywhere; use the widest network for interior cash.