Third-party Pix and MED: why Pix must come from your CPF

If you've ever tried to fund an exchange or a crypto account using someone else's Pix, you may have seen the money come back. That happens because many platforms don't accept third-party Pix: the deposit must come from an account under the same CPF or CNPJ as the account holder. The CPF is the Brazilian individual taxpayer number, and the CNPJ is the company equivalent. In this guide, you'll learn why this rule exists, what Pix's MED is and how all of it protects you.

What "third-party Pix" means

A third-party Pix is a Pix sent from an account that isn't yours. Some examples:

• your account is under your CPF, but the Pix comes from your spouse's account;
• a friend pays "on your behalf";
• the account belongs to a company, but the Pix comes from a partner's personal account.

For a bank, this can be perfectly normal. For a platform that converts reais into crypto, it's a red flag.

Why the Pix must come from your CPF

1. The money may come from a scam

Scammers love using victims' money to buy crypto. It works like this: the victim falls for a scam and sends a Pix. The scammer uses that money, which isn't even theirs, to buy USDT and send it to a wallet. Since blockchain transfers can't be undone, the money disappears.

When the platform requires the Pix to come from the same CPF as the account holder, that path becomes much harder. The scammer would have to open the account with the victim's own details and selfie.

2. A third-party Pix can be reversed later

If the person who sent the Pix was a scam victim, they can ask their bank for a refund through the MED, which we explain below. The money is then blocked and returned, even if the crypto has already been sent. Whoever accepted the third-party Pix takes the loss.

3. Knowing where the money comes from

Financial companies must know their customers and the source of their funds, to make fraud and money laundering harder. When the Pix comes from the same CPF as the account, the source is clear.

What happens to a Pix from someone else

It depends on the platform, but the most common outcome is returning the Pix to the sender. The money doesn't go into your balance.

On usdtap, the rule is this: the Pix must come from an account under the same CPF or CNPJ as the usdtap account. A Pix from someone else is sent back and doesn't become balance. For a company account, the Pix must come from an account under the company's own CNPJ.

What Pix's MED is

MED, short for Mecanismo Especial de Devolução (Special Return Mechanism), was created by Brazil's Central Bank to return Pix money in cases of fraud or scams, and also in cases of an operational failure in a bank's systems. It has been in place since 2021.

In plain terms: if you sent a Pix because you were tricked, you can ask your bank to try to get the money back.

How MED works, step by step

1. You tell your bank. In the app, find the Pix in your statement and use the option to dispute it or report a scam. If you can't find it, use the bank's customer service channels.
2. The receiving bank blocks the amount, if there's still a balance in the account that received it.
3. The banks review the case within a few days.
4. If fraud is confirmed, the blocked money is returned to you. If there's no balance left, the refund may be partial or not happen at all.

How long you have to request MED

You can file the request up to 80 days after the Pix. But don't wait: the sooner you report it, the better the chance that the money is still in the scammer's account.

What changed with MED 2.0

Before, MED could only block money in the first account that received the Pix. Scammers learned to pass the amount on quickly, through several accounts. Since February 2026, a new version, MED 2.0, has been mandatory for institutions that offer Pix. It can follow the money's trail through several accounts and block it along the chain.

What MED doesn't cover

• A Pix sent by mistake, such as typing the wrong Pix key. In that case, talk to your bank and try to reach the person who received it. If that doesn't work, the next step may be the courts.
• Commercial disputes, such as a product that arrived damaged. Those are settled with the seller or through consumer protection agencies, such as Procon.

Third-party Pix and crypto: why the mix is dangerous

A Pix can be disputed in cases of fraud. A crypto transfer can't be undone. Scammers exploit this difference in several ways.

In P2P. Someone "buys" your USDT and pays with a victim's Pix. You send the USDT. The victim triggers the MED, the money goes back to them and you're left without the reais and without the crypto.

With a "Pix sent by mistake". Someone sends you a Pix and asks you to "return" it to a different key. If you make a new Pix, they can still dispute the original one and get paid twice. If you need to return it, use the refund option on the Pix you received, in your bank's app.

See these and other tricks in USDT and Pix scams.

How to make your deposit the right way

• Pay the Pix from the app of a bank where you are the account holder.
• For a company account, pay from the company's CNPJ account.
• Before paying, check that the QR code or Pix key is the one the platform showed you.
• Keep the receipt.

The full path, from sign-up to USDT in your wallet, is in how to buy USDT with Pix.

Why this rule is good for you

It may look like plain red tape, but the same-holder rule protects you in three ways:

• it makes it harder for anyone to use your account with stolen money;
• it keeps you from being dragged, without knowing it, into a scam against someone else;
• it reduces the risk of your balance being blocked because of a Pix disputed later.

Along with two-factor authentication and the confirmation of new wallets, it's one of the locks usdtap uses on your account. If you'd like to open yours, create your usdtap account.

Frequently asked questions

Can I send the Pix from my husband's or wife's account?

No, if your account on the platform is under your CPF. The Pix must come from an account where you are the account holder. A Pix from your spouse counts as a third-party Pix and is usually returned.

What happens to a Pix that came from someone else?

In general, it's returned to the sender and doesn't go into your balance. On usdtap, that's exactly what happens: a Pix from someone else is sent back and doesn't become balance.

How long do I have to request a Pix refund through MED?

Up to 80 days after the Pix. But ideally you should tell your bank the same day, because scammers usually move the money quickly.

Does MED refund a Pix sent by mistake?

No. MED is for fraud, scams or a bank's operational failure. If you typed the wrong key, talk to your bank and try to reach the person who received it. If that doesn't work, the next step may be the courts.

Can a company deposit from a partner's personal account?

No. For a company account, the Pix must come from an account under the company's own CNPJ. A Pix from a partner's CPF counts as a third-party Pix.