Our History
Our history dates back to 1996, when our co-CEO and co-founder, Alex Hoffmann, created a payment gateway for one of the first e-commerce businesses in Brazil. Years later, the Brazilian economy started booming, attracting the attention of merchants from around the world. Across the pond, Ralf Germer, also co-CEO and co-founder, identified the need for a cross-border payment solution for his software business. Such a service was nowhere to be found, and he set off to create his own cross-border payment provider for Brazil.
It was not until both met in 2010 that the idea for PagBrasil was born. Alex brought to the table a strong track record in the Brazilian market and expertise in payment processing, in addition to his software development background and experience from successfully running his first business venture, SiliconAction, the largest online software store in Latin America. This was perfectly complemented by Ralf’s management experience from working at large international corporations as well as start-ups, expertise in international business development, marketing and a proven track record in online sales and payment processing, thus creating a solid basis for PagBrasil.
Their vision for the business was soon off the drawing board and operative later that year, with the first payment transaction being processed in 2011. Throughout the years, we have continually enhanced our platform, adding groundbreaking innovations with features and services tailor-made for Brazil. Thanks to this, we have aided merchants from every corner of the world to unlock the potential of the Brazilian market.
Porto Alegre The Timeline of a Pioneer
Alex creates a payment gateway for one of the first e-commerce businesses in Brazil.
1996
Alex starts a domestic payment provider service. For the first time, merchants can generate boleto bancários using an API.
2001
Ralf identifies the need of a cross-border payment service provider for Brazil for his software business based in Europe and looks for a solution in the market. The search does not bear fruit, and he starts investigating how to create a cross-border payment service provider for Brazil himself.
2008
Ralf flies to Brazil to visit SiliconAction, which was selling a software distributed by his company. Alex and Ralf meet and the idea of PagBrasil is born. A few months later, the project is initiated, and, by the end of the year, the technical, commercial, and legal basis for PagBrasil is established. By then, the name PagBrasil is also defined, and a website is online.
PagBrasil’s first boleto solution provides the fastest payment confirmation in the market. The solution is also the pioneer in two groundbreaking features for boletos bancários: instant payment notifications (IPNs) and automated refund.
2010
The company PagBrasil is incorporated in Porto Alegre, Brazil, as well as its sister entity in Barcelona, Spain, serving as our European commercial office.
The first North American, Chinese and European cross-border merchants, and also Brazilian domestic merchants, start processing with PagBrasil. Although PagBrasil initially focused on the cross-border segment, its first client to start processing payment is a local Brazilian merchant.
Online banking transfers are added to PagBrasil’s platform.
2011
PagBrasil is the first payment service provider in Brazil to allow different soft descriptors per credit card transaction.
2012
Support for recurring and 1-click payments is added.
An iframe solution for non-PCI-DSS compliant merchants is launched.
2013
A star is born: the idea for Boleto Flash® is developed by Ralf and Alex while having lunch at Pampa Burger, a gaucho restaurant in Porto Alegre.
PagBrasil pioneers the acceptance of debit cards for e-commerce payment transactions.
2014
PagBrasil launches Boleto Flash®, the first and only boleto with payment confirmation within a couple of hours on the same day.
A domestic payment processing gateway service for credit cards is created.
PagShield®, PagBrasil’s behavioral machine learning fraud prevention solution, starts protecting merchants.
2015
PagBrasil starts to further leverage its innovative technological solutions in the domestic market, strengthening its unique position as the only payment service provider that combines both domestic and cross-border processing services.
PagBrasil introduces the first fully responsive boleto bancário, optimized for transactions on mobile devices and compatible with in-app payments.
2016
PagBrasil becomes PCI-DSS Level 1 compliant.
PagBrasil launches its fully customizable split payout service for marketplaces.
Payment Link is launched with all of PagBrasil’s supported payment methods.
2017
An entity in Singapore is founded to drive our expansion in the region.
A new Shopify plugin with direct checkout is made available.
2018
PagBrasil introduces PEC Flash®, an inclusive cash payment method for e-commerce. PEC Flash® allows every Brazilian to pay for their purchases without the need to have a bank account, credit card or even print anything.
2019
PagBrasil expands its service portfolio and launches comprehensive payout solutions for platforms and marketplaces, perfectly adaptable to different business models.
PagBrasil launches PagStream® for subscription management.
PagBrasil integrates with Samsung Pay, Samsung’s wallet service.
PagBrasil launches PagBrasil Pix, Brazil’s instant payment method that allows more agility in ecommerce.
2020
PagBrasil launches its new visual identity, reinforcing its commitment to innovate and make a difference.
PagBrasil launches Débito Flash™ and revolutionizes debit card usage in Brazilian ecommerce.
2021
PagBrasil becomes an official Salesforce partner and is the first payment service provider to offer its app on Salesforce Commerce Cloud AppExchange.
PagBrasil is certified as a Great Place to Work.
2022
PagBrasil launches PagStream® business unit at Cubo Itaú, São Paulo, Brazil.
PagBrasil launches a pioneering international Pix solution, allowing Brazilians to make in-store Pix payments abroad.
2023Our Founders
Ralf Germer
Co-CEO & Co-Founder
Ralf has extensive experience in business management, international business development, marketing, online sales, and payment processing. Prior to PagBrasil, he was Vice President of Product Marketing Europe at Actebis and later founded 4M Iberoamérica.
Alex Hoffmann
Co-CEO & Co-Founder
Alex has a strong track record in the Brazilian market, expertise in payment processing, as well as having a software development background. He is also Founder & CEO at SiliconAction, the largest online software store in Latin America.
Our leaders
William Goulart
Head of Technology
André Almeida
Head of Bussiness Development, International
Diego Lopes
Head of Product
Bruno Titton
Head of Operations and Support
Caroline Kruger
Head of Marketing
Alexandre Oliveira
Head of Bussiness Development, Brazil
Rafael Vianna
Finance Manager
