The expansion of digital financial institutions in Brazil, known as fintechs, added R$ 1.6 trillion to the Gross Domestic Product between 2016 and 2026, according to a study by the Reglab research center commissioned by Zetta, an association that brings together the country's largest fintechs, such as Nubank, Mercado Pago, and PicPay.
The study indicates that without digital institutions, GDP in the first quarter of 2026 would be 2.2% lower. A significant portion of this difference is attributed to consumption, with an estimated increase of R$ 982 billion over the period. There was also a positive contribution to investment, of R$ 371 billion.
The research also calculated savings of R$ 149 billion for families and businesses in terms of costs with interest rates and bank fees, with R$ 102 billion referring to interest and the remainder to service charges.
To arrive at these results, Reglab used a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) structural model, an economic tool typically employed in monetary policy analysis.
