The banking correspondent has become a strategic player in access to credit in Brazil, especially in real estate financing. Present in large and small cities, this professional acts as an intermediary between clients and financial institutions, streamlining processes, expanding capillarity and helping to connect banks, brokers, construction companies and consumers.

On April 1, 2026, deputy Rosângela Reis presented Bill No. 1571/2026, which proposes to officially regulate the activity in the country, creating rules for remuneration, contractual transparency, commercial parity and the functioning of the sector.

Real estate financing specialist, Murilo Arjona assesses that the bill does not only impact banking correspondents. According to him, the proposal affects real estate brokers, construction companies, banks and the entire construction chain, as the sector has come to depend directly on this credit distribution channel. Today, the activity is mainly governed by Central Bank regulations, which authorize banks to hire correspondents to distribute financial products.

The model works through private contracts defined between the parties. The new bill comes amid a long-standing debate about remuneration and predictability. In some operations, mainly linked to housing credit, professionals in the sector report gaps in the amounts paid over the years. In certain cases, developers and construction companies end up complementing costs operations to maintain the service structure and formalize financing.

Remuneration and contractual predictability

Among the points foreseen in the text of the bill is the possibility of remuneration protection mechanisms, with corrections based on inflationary indices, in addition to transparency rules for contractual changes. The objective would be to reduce legal uncertainty and provide greater predictability to a segment that grew without its own legislation.

Murilo Arjona highlights that the debate is legitimate, but needs to consider side effects. “There are very positive points, such as transparency and predictability. At the same time, all regulation needs to observe market dynamics. If the model becomes unbalanced, banks can accelerate other distribution channels, mainly digital”, he warns.

Commercial parity across channels

Another sensitive topic is the so-called commercial parity between channels. In some institutions, conditions offered by correspondents may differ from those available in their own agencies or platforms. For project supporters, this creates competitive distortions. For the mercadothe challenge is balancing price, convenience and quality of service.

The proposal also addresses exclusivity contracts. In certain models, the correspondent works for just one financial institution. The text suggests additional compensation in these cases, under the argument that the commercial limitation requires economic compensation. This point tends to be one of the most debated throughout the process.

Next steps and impact on the sector

The project will still need to go through thematic committees before a possible vote. Along the way, banks, sector entities, construction companies, brokers and representatives of the category will be able to present suggestions and adjustments. More than the final text, the advancement of the proposal already puts on the agenda the need to modernize relations between credit agents real estate.

“Even if the project is changed or does not become law in its current format, it already fulfills an important role: organizing the sector’s demands and opening a necessary discussion. The market has evolved and all players they need to participate in this conversation”, concludes Murilo Arjona.

In a scenario of expansion of housing credit and digital transformation in the financial system, the discussion on regulating correspondent banking tends to gain relevance. The result could influence operational costs, credit distribution and the experience of those seeking financing in the coming years.

By Eluan Carlos