Mercado Pago, the fintech division of Latin American e-commerce giant MercadoLibre, stated its confidence in expanding its credit card business despite growing concerns from Brazil's central bank regarding household debt. ^[1] The Brazilian economy grew by 0.5% in the second quarter of 2026, a slowdown from the 1.1% growth recorded in the first quarter of the year. ^[2] Brazilian officials are closely monitoring the rapid increase in household debt, particularly regarding credit card balances and unsecured consumer loans where Mercado Pago has expanded aggressively. ^[3] During an event organized by the financial sector association Zetta, Ignacio Estivariz, vice president of Mercado Pago, told Reuters that the company's subscription models remain solid and its loan portfolio is in good health. ^[4] In the second quarter, Mercado Pago issued 2.6 million credit cards compared to 1.6 million the previous year. ^[5] A Nexus/BTG Pactual poll conducted between July 31 and August 2, 2026, showed President Lula da Silva with 46% of the vote intention against 45% for Flávio Bolsonaro. ^[6] The Brazilian Central Bank maintained the Selic interest rate at 14% to contain inflation, contributing to restrictive financial conditions. ^[7] The Instituto Brasileiro de Geografía y Estadística (IBGE) reported that household consumption fell by 0.4% and exports declined by 0.8% during the second quarter of 2026. ^[8]