Speaking to Affiliate Leaders Fernando Quintella, chief executive officer of Actionpay Brasil, explored what sets the company apart in one of the world’s most competitive affiliate markets.
Ahead of his attendance at SBC Summit Rio 2026, Quintella shared his perspective on why CPA remains the strongest model for long-term performance; how regulation is reshaping affiliate operations; and why understanding Brazilian player behaviour goes far beyond the usual ‘mobile first’ label.
There are many affiliate networks operating in Brazil. What differentiates Actionpay’s role in the ecosystem from other players?
Brazil has many affiliate networks, but most operate either as traffic brokers or as local resellers of global offers. Actionpay Brasil was built differently, around a philosophy of performance and accountability.
We focus exclusively on CPA, and that means our incentives are aligned with advertisers from day one. We’re not focused on selling clicks or impressions but rather measurable business outcomes. That changes everything.
Another key differentiator is our hybrid positioning. We combine deep local market expertise in Brazil, including the legal structure, payment infrastructure, and regulatory compliance required to operate effectively, with an international mindset and operational standards.
If you want to succeed in Brazil, understanding the nuances of it is crucial. We have more than 15 years of experience in the market. During this time, we have seen many competitors struggle because they could not understand Brazilian business.
Focusing on CPA comes with clear advantages but also limitations. What trade-offs did Actionpay accept by committing to CPA, and how have those decisions shaped the business over time?
Committing to CPA means accepting volatility and operational intensity. Revenue is directly tied to conversions, not media spend. That creates more risk in the short-term.
The main trade-off is that CPA requires deeper validation, fraud control, and advertiser trust. It’s more complex than hybrid or flat-fee models. But we made a strategic decision early on to focus on sustainable growth over quick revenue.
Over time, this shaped our business culture. We built stronger internal monitoring systems, better compliance processes, and more selective affiliate onboarding. It also pushed us to invest heavily in fraud prevention and traffic quality control.
What does a successful first 90 days look like for a new affiliate joining Actionpay?
The first 90 days are really about getting aligned and making sure everything works the way it should.
For a new affiliate, that usually means taking the time to understand how the vertical behaves, how specific offers convert, and which traffic sources are the right fit. We always encourage partners to test carefully rather than rush to scale. It’s much more important to build a solid base than to chase quick volume.
Open communication also plays a big role. Affiliates who stay in close contact with our account managers and are transparent about their traffic tend to progress much faster. We’re not looking for instant scale in the first month. What we’re looking for is consistency, compliance, and a willingness to optimise based on real data.
Once quality is proven and there’s mutual trust, scaling becomes a lot easier.
Brazil is a high-volume market, but not all traffic converts equally. How does ActionPay distinguish between scale that looks good on paper and traffic that actually delivers long-term value?
Scale without retention is an illusion.
We analyse traffic not only by initial conversion rates, but also by downstream indicators such as approval rates, retention behaviour, lifetime value signals (when shared by advertisers), and fraud patterns.
High volume can be misleading if chargebacks increase or if user quality deteriorates over time. We focus on what we call ‘economic quality’, which is traffic that sustains advertiser ROI beyond the first transaction.
We constantly evaluate conversion patterns, geographic clusters, device behaviour, and abnormal engagement signals. Sustainable scale always wins over aggressive short-term spikes.
Regulation is often framed as market maturity, but it also adds friction. Where has regulation increased operational complexity or cost the most?
The biggest impact comes from compliance and payment infrastructure.
Brazil’s regulatory framework, including data protection laws and financial compliance requirements, has increased operational demands. While this improves transparency and market credibility, it also increases legal, accounting, and reporting costs.
Additionally, financial regulations around payments, KYC procedures, and anti-money laundering controls have required more robust internal processes.
Regulation also comes with the risk of fines if anyone in your control chain (affiliates) deviates from the agreement. The fact is, monitoring affiliate activities at the source is always a very costly task. However, this has led to new processes and tools that consequently bring more security to our clients and affiliates.
In summary, I see this as a long-term advantage. Stronger regulation filters out non-serious players and increases trust in the ecosystem. In performance marketing, trust is a competitive asset.
Mobile-first is often used as a shorthand for Brazil, but it doesn’t explain behaviour. What do international brands misunderstand about how Brazilian users actually engage and convert?
Mobile first gets thrown around a lot when people talk about Brazil, but it is only part of the picture.
Yes, the vast majority of traffic comes through mobile. But what really drives performance is the context in which people are using them. Brazilian users are extremely social. Decisions are influenced by peers, messaging groups, creators and community conversations. Trust is built through validation, not just brand presence.
International brands often underestimate how local the approach needs to be. Tone of voice matters. Payment methods matter. Instalment culture matters. Brazilians are used to flexible payments and clear, tangible value. If those elements are missing, conversion suffers.
Mobile traffic is also heavily shaped by messaging apps and social platforms. That means attention spans are shorter, but peer influence is stronger. Brands that focus only on device data miss the behavioural layer that actually drives results.
Many affiliates approach Brazil remotely or through global strategies. What does an on-the-ground event like SBC Summit Rio offer that affiliates simply can’t replicate from abroad?
An event like SBC Summit Rio offers something that cannot be replicated through email or video calls: face-to-face trust building. The Brazilian market values proximity, informal networking, and direct conversations.
On-the-ground presence allows affiliates to understand regulatory nuances, cultural signals, and partnership expectations much faster.
It’s also about credibility. When you show up physically, you demonstrate long-term commitment to the market.
Source: Affiliate Leaders
