# Caixa Tem (Caixa Econômica Federal)

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/caixa-tem
> research date 2026-05-29 · extracted at 2026-10-07
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [Aplicativos CAIXA — Atendimento](https://www.caixa.gov.br/atendimento/aplicativos/Paginas/default.aspx)

## Overview

**Caixa Tem** is **Caixa Econômica Federal's flagship state-owned banking app** for **Brazilian social benefits + low-income financial inclusion** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [Brazil report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/BR)</sup>. **2025 baseline**: **40M+ active users** — one of Brazil's most-used applications.

**Distinctive Caixa Tem positioning** <sup>[2][2], [3][3]</sup>:
- **Bolsa Família** social-benefit access (Brazilian conditional cash transfer program)
- **Pix transfers** + payments + essential banking services
- **Low-income population focus** — distinctive Brazilian financial inclusion role
- **Digital hub for social benefits + essential banking + credit + financial management tools** in single environment

**Caixa Tem 2025 evolution** <sup>[3][3]</sup>: Significant evolution with new versions including unprecedented functions + security improvements + bug fixes — e.g., **account unlock via WhatsApp** facilitating app access after changing devices.

## History

**April 2020 — Caixa Tem launched** during COVID-19 pandemic <sup>[3][3]</sup> as channel for emergency aid disbursement (Auxílio Emergencial); rapid mass adoption to deliver COVID-19 emergency aid to tens of millions of Brazilians.

**2020-2024 — Mass low-income adoption** <sup>[2][2]</sup>: Mass Brazilian low-income population financial inclusion via social-benefit disbursement.

**2025 — 40M+ active users + Caixa Tem consolidated as digital hub** <sup>[1][1]</sup> for social benefits + Pix + banking + credit + financial management.

**May 2025 — Pix issues** <sup>[4][4]</sup>: Caixa Tem temporarily offline / Pix failure reported (techtudo coverage; service later restored).

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **Caixa Econômica Federal** — **Brazilian state-owned bank**.

**Major shareholders**: **União Federal (Brazilian Federal Government; sole shareholder)** — Brazilian state-owned federal savings bank.

**Regulators**: **BCB (Banco Central do Brasil)**.

## Technical integration

| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| **Channels** | Caixa Tem app (iOS + Android; Caixa Econômica Federal social-benefit channel) + WhatsApp integration (account unlock) |
| **Identifiers** | CPF + phone + social benefit ID (Bolsa Família + emergency aid) |
| **BR rail** | **[Pix](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/pix)** (BCB Pix national instant payment) |
| **License** | Bank (Caixa Econômica Federal full Brazilian banking license; state-owned federal savings bank) |
| **Sub-products** | Caixa Tem digital savings account + Caixa Tem Pix + Caixa Tem Bolsa Família + Caixa Tem credit + Caixa Tem financial management + Caixa Tem payments + Caixa Tem auxílio emergencial (during COVID-19) |
| **Distinctive social benefit focus**: Bolsa Família + emergency aid + low-income population |

## Users & growth

**2025 baseline** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [3][3]</sup>:
- **40M+ active users** — one of Brazil's most-used applications
- **April 2020 launch** during COVID-19 pandemic for emergency aid (Auxílio Emergencial)
- **Digital hub for social benefits + essential banking + credit + financial management tools in single environment**
- **Bolsa Família** disbursement channel — Brazilian conditional cash transfer program

## Use cases

Brazilian social benefit disbursement (Bolsa Família + emergency aid) + Pix instant transfers + payments + essential banking services + credit + financial management for low-income Brazilians via Caixa Tem app + WhatsApp integration.

## Implementations & partners

**Operator**: **Caixa Econômica Federal** — Brazilian state-owned federal savings bank.

**Major shareholder**: **União Federal (Brazilian Federal Government; sole)**.

**Major Brazilian banking + state-bank competitors**:
- **[Banco do Brasil (BB App)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/banco-do-brasil)** (BB; BR state-owned bank serving 70M+; oldest BR bank 1808; fellow state-bank)
- **[Itau Unibanco](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/banco-itau)** (Itaú Unibanco; BR's largest private bank + LatAm's largest by market value)
- **[Bradesco (Banco Bradesco)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/bradesco)** + **Santander Brasil** (BR Big-5 private banks)
- **[Nubank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/nubank)** (NU Holdings; LatAm largest digital bank; 110M+ customers)
- **[PagBank / PagSeguro Digital](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/pagbank)** (Batch 28 covered; PagSeguro)
- **[Mercado Pago](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/mercado-pago)** (Mercado Pago BR; LatAm e-commerce leader)

**Government partners**: **Ministry of Development, Social Assistance, Family and Combat against Hunger** (Bolsa Família operator) + **Ministry of Finance** + **Brazilian Federal Government** (sole shareholder).

**Regulator**: **BCB**.

## Fun facts

- **40M+ active users** — one of Brazil's most-used applications.
- **April 2020 launch during COVID-19** for emergency aid (Auxílio Emergencial) — distinctive pandemic-era Brazilian state-bank app launch.
- **Bolsa Família disbursement channel** — Brazilian conditional cash transfer program.
- **Caixa Econômica Federal (state-owned federal savings bank)** — Brazilian Federal Government sole shareholder.
- **Digital hub for social benefits + essential banking + credit + financial management** in single environment (2025 consolidation).
- **Account unlock via WhatsApp** — distinctive accessibility after device changes.

## Comparison

| Feature | Caixa Tem | [Banco do Brasil (BB App)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/banco-do-brasil) (BR fellow state-bank rival) | [Itau Unibanco](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/banco-itau) (BR largest private bank rival) | [Nubank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/nubank) (LatAm largest digital bank rival) | [Bradesco (Banco Bradesco)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/bradesco) (BR Big-5 private bank rival) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | **Caixa Econômica Federal (state-owned federal savings bank; União Federal sole shareholder)** | Banco do Brasil S.A. (B3: BBAS3; Brazilian Federal Government majority + PREVI + B3 float) | Itaú Unibanco Holding S.A. (B3: ITUB4; NYSE: ITUB; IUPAR + Itaúsa + Moreira Salles + B3 float) | NU Holdings (NYSE: NU) | Bradesco (B3: BBDC3) |
| Type | **BR state-owned Caixa Tem app for social benefits + low-income financial inclusion + Bolsa Família + emergency aid** | BR state-owned bank serving 70M+; 200+ years presence | BR's largest private bank + LatAm's largest by market value | LatAm largest digital bank | BR Big-5 private bank |
| Country | Brazil | BR + 17+ countries | BR + 11 other countries | BR + MX + CO | Brazil |
| Users | **40M+ active users** | 70M+ Brazilians served | ~60M customers worldwide; Nov 2025 R$460B (US$82B) market cap | 110M+ customers | Major BR |
| Distinctive | **Apr 2020 launch during COVID-19 emergency aid (Auxílio Emergencial); Bolsa Família state-conditional-cash-transfer disbursement; low-income financial inclusion; digital hub for social benefits + essential banking + credit + financial management; WhatsApp account unlock; União Federal sole shareholder** | 1808 founding by Prince Regent João VI (BR oldest bank; 200+ years); Jan 2025 first BR bank with full font personalization PCD | 1924 centennial 2024; Itaú + Unibanco 2008 merger; IUPAR + Itaúsa + Moreira Salles dual-family controlling | LatAm largest digital bank | BR Big-5 bank |

## Status

**Active, Brazil's flagship state-owned social-benefit + financial-inclusion app** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>:
- **Caixa Econômica Federal** — Caixa Tem launched April 2020 (COVID-19 emergency aid).
- **40M+ active users** — one of Brazil's most-used applications.
- **Bolsa Família + emergency aid + Pix + essential banking + credit + financial management** in single environment.
- **União Federal (Brazilian Federal Government) sole shareholder**.
- **BCB regulated**.

## Sources

[1]: https://seucreditodigital.com.br/caixa-tem-2025-veja-beneficios/ "Caixa Tem em 2025 — Seu Crédito Digital"
[2]: https://cadunicobrasil.com.br/caixa-tem-em-2025-conheca-as-taxas-custos-e-como-usar-o-app-com-seguranca/ "Caixa Tem em 2025: taxas + custos + como usar — CadÚnico Brasil"
[3]: https://seucreditodigital.com.br/atualizar-o-caixa-tem-no-android-e-iphone/ "Caixa Tem 2025: como atualizar o app — Seu Crédito Digital"
[4]: https://www.techtudo.com.br/noticias/2025/05/caixa-tem-com-problemas-app-nao-faz-pix-segundo-usuarios-edapps.ghtml "Caixa Tem fora do ar: app tem problemas para fazer Pix May 2025 — TechTudo"
[br-cro]: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/BR

- [1] [Caixa Tem em 2025 — Seu Crédito Digital][1]
- [2] [Caixa Tem em 2025: taxas + custos + como usar — CadÚnico Brasil][2]
- [3] [Caixa Tem 2025: como atualizar o app — Seu Crédito Digital][3]
- [4] [Caixa Tem fora do ar Pix May 2025 — TechTudo][4]
- <sup>[Brazil report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/BR)</sup> In-corpus: `reports/countries/BR-brazil.md`

## Source

Biography extracted from [caixa-tem.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/source/wallets/caixa-tem). See `matrix.md` for standards-support matrix if present.