Serpro, Brazil’s state-owned company and a national reference in government intelligence and information technology, has just signed a contract with the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), one of the world’s largest financial conglomerates. Under the agreement, Serpro will provide two of its most robust data validation solutions: the CPF Query and CNPJ Query APIs.

LSEG is a global powerhouse in financial markets, recognized for its leadership in data, technology, and infrastructure for stock exchanges and financial services. It owns the London Stock Exchange—the world’s eighth-largest by market capitalization (approximately USD 3.5 trillion) and the ninth in average daily trading volume. The group also owns various other financial institutions and maintains strategic initiatives with Brazil’s B3 stock exchange.

Understanding CPF and CNPJ: Key Identifiers in Brazil’s Tax and Legal Systems

In Brazil, the CPF (Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas) is the individual taxpayer identification number, used to uniquely identify citizens and residents for tax and legal purposes—similar to the Social Security Number (SSN) in the United States. The CNPJ (Cadastro Nacional da Pessoa Jurídica) serves a similar role for legal entities, functioning as the national business registration number. Both identifiers are essential for conducting financial transactions, opening bank accounts, signing contracts, and ensuring compliance with regulatory and tax obligations in the country.

Identity Verification

LSEG will use the Brazilian APIs to enhance its identity verification systems, which serve financial institutions and fintechs both in Brazil and internationally. The data, sourced directly from Brazil’s Federal Revenue Service, will feed into LSEG’s Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) processes.

Giovani Pereira, Business Analyst for the International Market at Serpro, explained how the integration works: “When a Brazilian user opens a digital account with a brokerage that uses LSEG’s verification services, the system requests their CPF number. Through integration with Serpro’s API, LSEG can verify in real time whether the CPF is active and in good standing, and if the provided information—such as full name and date of birth—matches the official records held by the Federal Revenue.”

The CNPJ Query API, in turn, enables verification of a company’s legal status, tax registration, official trade name, address, and whether it is linked to politically exposed persons (PEPs). “This information is essential for risk assessment in money laundering prevention and mitigation procedures,” added Giovani.

International Recognition

The strategic importance of the partnership with Serpro was emphasized by Andrea Chirivi Ramirez, Head of Partner Ecosystem for LSEG in Latin America. “Working with Serpro Brazil has been a strategic milestone. As the government entity responsible for over 200 million CPF records and other critical national databases, this partnership significantly enhances the quality and reliability of our identity verification services. This isn’t just about data access—it’s about building trust at scale in one of the most complex markets in Latin America,” she said.

Juliana Bastos Braz, Serpro’s International Markets Manager, highlighted that the agreement once again demonstrates the company's reputation both in Brazil and abroad. “It was a demanding negotiation, as expected from a client of the London Stock Exchange’s caliber. What prevailed was our technological strength and the strategic value of information security. Serpro delivers real-time, reliable data backed by official sources—and that’s exactly what the international market is looking for,” she noted.

“This partnership shows that Serpro is crossing borders and positioning itself as a global benchmark in secure, fast, and reliable public data solutions. It’s proof that Brazil also exports cutting-edge technology,” Giovani concluded.