About USD/BRL
USD/BRL is one of the most volatile emerging market pairs, driven by Brazilian political risk, commodity prices, and Banco Central do Brasil (BCB) monetary policy. Brazil is a major exporter of iron ore, soybeans, and crude oil, so commodity price cycles directly impact the real. The BCB's Selic rate decisions are the highest-impact domestic events - Brazil has historically maintained some of the highest real interest rates in the world, attracting carry trade flows that support the real. Political developments, including presidential elections, corruption investigations, and fiscal reform debates, can produce massive swings of 3-5% in a single week. Daily ranges average 500-1,500 pips (0.05-0.15 BRL), with wide spreads of 20-50 pips. Margin requirements are elevated due to the pair's volatility. The pair is most active during the New York session when both US and Brazilian markets overlap.
Historical Rates - Last 7 Days
| Date | Close | Change |
|---|
| 2026-08-22 | 5.1767 | -0.72% |
| 2026-08-23 | 5.1931 | +0.32% |
| 2026-08-24 | 5.1373 | -1.07% |
| 2026-08-25 | 5.1543 | +0.33% |
| 2026-08-26 | 5.1464 | -0.15% |
| 2026-08-27 | 5.1474 | +0.02% |
| 2026-08-28 | 5.1629 | +0.30% |
See full price history on the historical rate lookup tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the pip value for USD/BRL?
One standard lot (100,000 units) on USD/BRL has a pip value of approximately $10.00. The minimum price increment (tick) is 0.0001. A pip is typically the third decimal place for this pair, meaning 1 pip = 0.0001 for most pairs.
What time is USD/BRL most active?
USD/BRL sees its highest trading volume during the New York session. As an exotic pair, liquidity can thin significantly outside of the primary sessions listed above. Spreads widen and slippage increases during off-hours.
What economic events affect USD/BRL most?
The most impactful events for USD/BRL come from the USD and BRL economies. US releases — non-farm payrolls, CPI, FOMC rate decisions, and GDP — are among the most market-moving events globally. A surprise in any of these can shift the pair 50–100 pips within minutes. The upcoming events section above lists the specific releases scheduled in the next two weeks.