Brazil and China have moved towards a tighter trade integration, having processed their first bilateral settlement using the Chinese yuan. The first transaction was processed by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the bank designated by the Chinese government to act as a clearing institution for Brazilian companies determined to use the yuan for international settlements.
The integration of the Chinese yuan in cross-border settlements signals a new, simpler way for companies to be involved in trade transactions without including a third currency conversion factor. Brazil and China inked an agreement last month to settle bilateral transactions using national currencies.