Fixed Income

How to Invest in Treasury Direct Step by Step! Your Complete Guide to Fixed Income

Learn how to invest in Tesouro Direto step by step and build your financial security. A complete guide for beginners looking for profitability and solidity!

Hands holding a smartphone with a Treasury Direct investment chart

Have you ever wondered how to take your first step into the world of investments in a safe and accessible way? For many, the idea of investing may seem complex, but it doesn't have to be. O Treasury Direct has emerged as an excellent entry point for those seeking profitability and security.

We at the Wealth Formula are here to simplify that journey. In this guide, we'll show you how to invest in Tesouro Direto step by step, We'll demystify the process and help you build a solid foundation for your financial future.

What is Treasury Direct and why should you invest?

We know that the first step towards financial freedom is to find safe and profitable investments.

O Treasury Direct is a federal government program created in partnership with B3 to allow individuals to buy government bonds.

In practice, by investing here, we are lending money to the Brazilian government in exchange for a future return.

Muitas pessoas ainda deixam o dinheiro na poupança por medo, mas nós garantimos: o Tesouro Direto é o investimento mais seguro do país.

This is because it is guaranteed by the National Treasury itself, which makes it an asset of sovereign risk.

In addition to safety, accessibility is one of the main pillars that we defend in this program.

You can start investing with very low amounts, usually from R$ 30,00, This democratizes access to the financial market.

Another key benefit is daily liquidity, This allows you to redeem your money every working day if necessary.

We also highlight diversification, as there are securities with different forms of profitability for each type of objective.

Whether you're looking to build up an emergency reserve or plan for retirement, Tesouro Direto offers the ideal path for beginners.

Fixed Income Simulator

Compare CDB, LCI, LCA, Tesouro Direto e Poupança em segundos

Preencha os campos abaixo com o valor que pretende investir, o prazo e o produto desejado — depois clique em Simular agora para ver o resultado completo com gráfico e comparativo.

CDI / Seliccarregando...
IPCA (12m)carregando...
Savingscarregando...
R$
R$
% CDI
CDB: incide Regressive income tax (22,5% até 180 dias → 15% acima de 720 dias) e IOF nos primeiros 30 dias.
% CDI
LCI/LCA são isentas de IR para pessoa física — ótimas para médio e longo prazo.
% a.a.
Tesouro: incide IR regressivo + taxa de custódia B3 de 0,20% a.a. (já incluída na simulação).
Com Selic acima de 8,5% a.a.: rende 0,5% ao mês + TR. Com Selic ≤ 8,5%: rende 70% da Selic + TR. Isenta de IR.
Como usar: preencha o valor que pretende investir, defina o prazo e escolha o tipo de investimento nas abas acima — depois clique em Simular agora para ver o resultado completo com gráfico e comparativo.

Types of Treasury Direct Bonds: Which one to choose?

Person analyzing types of Treasury Direct securities on tablet
Understand and choose the best Treasury Direct bond for your goals.

In order for us to invest wisely, we need to understand that there is no absolute “best” security, but rather the best one for your moment.

O Selic Treasury is the favorite of those just starting out, as its return keeps pace with the economy's basic interest rate.

We recommend this title for your emergency reserve, because it has very low volatility and immediate liquidity.

The Prefixed Treasury is where you know exactly how much you're going to receive on the due date, at the time of purchase.

It is excellent if we believe that interest rates will fall in the future, locking in a high yield today.

Finally, we have IPCA+ Treasury, This is a hybrid bond: it offers a fixed rate plus inflation.

We always recommend this paper for long-term objectives, such as buying a property or retirement.

This is because it ensures that your purchasing power will be preserved, as you will always earn above inflation.

There are also variations such as Tesouro RendA+ and Tesouro Educa+, focused specifically on pensions and education.

Below, we have prepared a comparison table to help you make your decision:

Type of TitleProfitabilityRecommended Objective
Selic TreasurySelic rate + small feeEmergency and short-term reserves
Prefixed TreasuryFixed rate (e.g. 11% per year)Medium-term and falling interest rates
IPCA+ TreasuryInflation + Fixed rateLong-term and asset protection

The books in the Learn to Invest series aim to provide beginner investors with the knowledge they need to tread their own path in the world of financial investments and start investing with confidence and peace of mind.

How to Invest in Treasury Direct Step by Step

Now that we know the titles, let's get down to business with a practical, straightforward guide.

The first step is define your financial goal, This will determine which security we choose for the portfolio.

Next, we need to choose a financial institution to intermediate the purchase, such as a reliable stock broker.

Once your account is open, the next step is to transfer the money you want to invest via PIX or TED to your brokerage account.

Within the platform, we should look for the “Treasury Direct” or “Fixed Income” section to see the options available.

At this point, we analyze the rates, maturities and minimum contribution of each security listed.

Once you have chosen the ideal title, simply click on “Invest” or “Buy”, Enter the desired value and confirm the operation.

We remind you that purchases made on working days, during business hours, are settled quickly.

Once confirmed, you can follow the progress of your money directly through the broker's app or the Treasury itself.

Don't forget that we can program monthly investments, which helps a lot in creating the habit of saving.

Maintaining consistency is the key to seeing the effect of compound interest over the years.

Opening an Account with a Stockbroker

How to invest in Tesouro Direto step by step by opening a brokerage account
Understand and choose the best Treasury Direct bond for your goals.

In order to access Tesouro Direto, having an account with a stock broker is essential and, nowadays, very simple.

Although the big banks also offer this service, we tend to prefer independent brokers because they don't charge any fees.

Many brokers today have zero rate to invest in Treasury Direct, which increases our net profitability.

The opening process is 100% digital: just download the application of your chosen broker and start registering.

We will need to have basic documents at hand, such as our ID or driver's license, as well as our CPF and proof of residence.

During registration, the broker will ask you a few questions to define your investor profile (suitability).

Don't worry about it, it's just a legal formality to make sure you understand the risks of the products on offer.

Once the data has been sent, the account is usually approved within a few hours or two working days at most.

Once the account has been approved, we receive the branch and account details (or PIX key) to transfer the funds.

We recommend that you choose brokers that offer intuitive platforms and good customer support.

Remember: your money is not “stuck” with the broker, it is registered with your CPF in B3's custody.

Calculating Profitability and Taxes

A crucial point that we need to master is how the discounts on our Treasury Direct earnings work.

Unlike savings accounts, Treasury Direct is subject to Income Tax (IR) and, in specific cases, IOF.

Income tax follows a regressive table, which means that the longer you leave the money invested, the less tax you pay.

It is important to note that the tax is levied only on the profit, and not on the total amount we invest.

We've prepared the table below so that you can see how time works in your favor when it comes to reducing taxes:

Investment periodIncome tax rate
Up to 180 days22,5%
From 181 to 360 days20,0%
From 361 to 720 days17,5%
Over 720 days15,0%

In addition to income tax, there is Tax on Financial Operations (IOF), which only appears if we redeem the money within the first 30 days.

After the 30th day of investment, we are totally exempt from IOF, leaving only Income Tax.

We must also consider the B3 Custody Fee, which is 0.20% per year on the amount invested.

However, there is excellent news: for investments of up to R$ 10,000.00 in the Selic Treasury, This rate is zero.

Whenever we compare investments, we should look at the net return, i.e. what is left over after these discounts.

Essential Tips to Maximize Your Earnings

To end on a high note, we've listed a few strategies that we use to boost our Treasury results.

The first golden tip is reinvestment of interestWhen a bond matures, invest the principal and profit again.

This causes the snowball effect of compound interest to grow exponentially over time.

Another smart strategy we have adopted is diversification of deadlines within fixed income.

Mixing short-term bonds (Selic) with long-term bonds (IPCA+) guarantees security and protection against inflation at the same time.

We also recommend that you follow the market, but don't despair at the daily price fluctuations.

In Prefixed and IPCA+ Treasuries, there is a phenomenon called marking to market, where the price of the bond changes every day.

If we carry the bond to maturity, we will receive exactly the agreed rate, regardless of these fluctuations.

Aligning each bond with a specific dream is the best way to maintain discipline and not withdraw money prematurely.

Stay focused on the long term and use Tesouro Direto as the solid base of your investment pyramid.

We believe that, with financial education and patience, anyone can build significant wealth starting today.

Your Path to Wealth Starts Now!

Investing in Treasury Direct is undoubtedly a smart and accessible step for anyone looking to build a solid and secure financial future. We sincerely hope that this detailed guide has simplified the process and cleared up your doubts.

Now that you know how to invest in Tesouro Direto step by step, How about taking the next step and starting your journey? Share your doubts, experiences or suggestions in the comments below. We'd love to hear from you and continue the conversation!

We've prepared this section to clear up the final doubts you may have when planning your first steps into fixed income security.

1. What is the minimum amount needed to start investing in Treasury Direct?

We stress that affordability is one of the biggest advantages, as you can start with approximately R$ 30,00. The system allows you to buy minimum fractions (1%) of a security, making it easier to start your investment journey.

2. Is it safe to invest my money in Tesouro Direto?

Yes, this is considered the lower risk in the Brazilian economy, because the bonds are guaranteed by the federal government. Learning how to invest in treasury direct step by step, You lend money to the state in exchange for interest, with maximum institutional security.

3. What is the best bond for those starting to build up an emergency reserve?

For those looking for security and immediate liquidity, we recommend the Selic Treasury. It's the ideal bond for beginners because it doesn't fluctuate greatly in price (mark-to-market) and you can redeem the money at any time without losing the amount invested.

4. Do I have to pay income tax on my earnings?

Yes, Treasury Direct yields follow the regressive income tax table, where the rate drops from 22.5% to 15% as the time you invest increases. It's worth remembering that the tax is withheld at source, meaning you receive the net amount in your account.

5. Can I redeem the money before the bond matures?

Yes, the federal government guarantees daily buyback of all bonds, which guarantees liquidity for investors. However, we would warn you that early redemption of fixed-rate or IPCA+ bonds may result in higher or lower yields than expected due to market variations.

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Jeferson Santos

Olá! Sou Jeferson Santos, bacharel em Tecnologia da Informação e investidor há 6 anos em ações, fundos imobiliários e renda fixa. Comecei com R$100 e, aplicando análise e disciplina, consegui crescer meu patrimônio em mais de 80% — e conquistar a liberdade financeira que tanto busquei. Criei o Aprender sobre Finanças para compartilhar o que aprendi na prática, sem enrolação e sem promessas irreais. Aqui você encontra conteúdo real, de quem realmente investe.

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