In brief

IBGE released on September 4 the first official portrait of platform work: about 1.8 million people had it as their main occupation in 2025, a figure Poder360, InfoMoney, Valor and Estadão round to nearly 2 million.

These workers put in longer hours and earn less per hour than other employed people, per Correio Braziliense and BBC Brasil, and only a third contribute to social security, per Valor.

Correio Braziliense records 368% growth since 2022 and O Globo reports that lack of jobs weighs more than flexibility in the choice, feeding the debate on platform regulation.

What we know

04

  1. Verified fact · material

    Per IBGE, about 1.8 million to 2 million people worked through digital service platforms in Brazil in 2025.

    It is the first official measurement of the size of app work.

    Sources[01][02][03][04]

  2. Verified fact · material

    Platform workers put in longer hours and earn less per hour than other employed people, per the IBGE study.

    It qualifies the relative precariousness of this occupation.

    Sources[05][06]

  3. Verified fact

    Per Valor, only a third of app workers contribute to social security.

    It measures the effect on social security revenue.

    Sources[07]

  4. Verified fact

    Per Correio Braziliense, the number of platform workers in main occupation grew 368% since 2022; per O Globo, lack of jobs weighs more than flexibility in the decision.

    It contextualizes the growth pace and motivation.

    Sources[08][09]

Transmission to assets

Market read-through

For platforms, an official contingent of nearly 2 million gives scale to the cost of any regulation on minimum pay or social security contributions.

For the labor marketLabor marketMacroBrazil's employment indicators — Caged (formal payrolls, Labor Ministry), Pnad (IBGE) and earnings — gauging activity and household income.Open in the Market Map ↗, the data shows app work absorbing unemploymentLabor marketMacroBrazil's employment indicators — Caged (formal payrolls, Labor Ministry), Pnad (IBGE) and earnings — gauging activity and household income.Open in the Market Map ↗, which helps explain the low jobless rate with lower hourly income.

Portfolio impact

01
Plataformas de transporte e entrega (Uber, iFood, 99)mixed

The official sizing feeds ongoing regulation, whose cost falls on platforms and whose reach depends on the number of workers.

Mixed and medium term; no direct effect on a B3 issuer.

What would change the view: The read changes with the final regulation design and the Supreme Court ruling on employment ties.

macro40% confidence

Direction is an explanatory hypothesis, not a forecast or recommendation.

Next signals

What to watch

  • Progress of the app-worker regulation bill in Congress.
  • The Supreme Court ruling on employment ties for app drivers.

Limits of the reporting

What remains uncertain

  • Outlets differ between 1.8 million and 2 million depending on the cut (main occupation or any occupation).

Full sources

09
01
Poder3601,8 milhão trabalhavam por meio de plataformas digitais em 2025independent newsroom
02
InfoMoneyIBGE: 2 milhões de pessoas trabalhavam em plataformas de serviços no Brasil em 2025independent newsroom
03
Valor EconômicoQuase dois milhões trabalham por meio de apps de serviços como transporte e entrega, aponta IBGEindependent newsroom
04
Estadão EconomiaTrabalho por plataformas de serviços no Brasil: IBGE 2025independent newsroom
05
Correio BrazilienseTrabalhadores de app têm jornada maior, mas ganham menos por hora, aponta estudo do IBGEindependent newsroom
06
BBC News BrasilTrabalhadores de aplicativo têm jornada maior e ganham menos por hora, diz IBGEindependent newsroom
07
Valor EconômicoIBGE: apenas um terço de quem usa apps de serviços para trabalhar contribui para previdênciaindependent newsroom
08
Correio BrazilienseTrabalho por aplicativos cresce 368% desde 2022 e alcança 2 milhões de pessoasindependent newsroom
09
O GloboFalta de emprego pesa mais que flexibilidade para motorista e entregador de app, diz IBGEindependent newsroom
06