Lawmakers in Brazil are deliberating on new legislation that would formally allow employers to compensate their staff with cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin.
Federal deputy Luiz Philippe de Orleans e Bragança has put forth a proposal aimed at regulating cryptocurrency payments for wages, compensation, and employee benefits.
Introduced on March 12, the bill PL 957/2025 makes it legal to make voluntary and partial salary payments in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin while mandating that a portion of the payment remains in the national currency, the Brazilian real.
Draft bill PL 957/2025 overview by Luiz Philippe de Orleans e Bragança.
Orleans-Braganza, who is part of Brazil’s former royal lineage, is currently serving his second term as a federal deputy for Sao Paulo and is recognized for his support of Truth Social, a social media platform associated with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Bitcoin Payments Limited to 50% of Salary
The proposed legislation stipulates that employees cannot receive their entire salary in cryptocurrency, imposing a limit of 50% for such payments.
As per the Central Bank of Brazil’s regulations, “The payment of salaries entirely in virtual assets is prohibited,” with exceptions for expatriates or foreign workers.
An excerpt from the proposed bill PL 957/2025.
The legislation would also enable complete cryptocurrency payments for “independent service providers,” provided specific contractual terms are met.
In other cases, the proportion of the salary paid in Brazilian real must constitute at least 50% of the total remuneration.
The conversion rate for the cryptocurrency payment must align with the official exchange rate set by an entity authorized by the Central Bank of Brazil.
This is an evolving story, with updates to follow as more information becomes accessible.
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