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title: "The Invisible Cost of Prepaid Cards: Why Liquidity Is the New ROI in 2026 | Clara Reports"
description: "Learn how to stop tying up capital and turn your payment cycle into real financial income."
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# The Invisible Cost of Prepaid Cards: Why Liquidity Is the New ROI in 2026

Learn how to stop tying up capital and turn your payment cycle into real financial income

![](https://www.clara.com/_astro/assets/69bb2c6397c56bc5cae6c086_BR_Cover---O-Custo-Invisivel-do-Pre.a1fe9740.694w.webp)

In 2026, with Brazil's Selic rate settled at **15% a year**, financial management has moved to a new level. A CFO's day-to-day cannot be about accepting liquidity drains under a false sense of control.

In this strategic guide, we reveal the real impact of keeping capital tied up in prepaid cards and how high-growth companies are using Clara's corporate credit to keep their foot on the gas while their cash keeps earning.

Find out how capital agility and opportunity cost have become the dividing line between stalled operations and financially efficient companies.

- **The Math of Lost Earnings:** Why every R$100 thousand tied up in prepaid cards costs an average of R$902 per month in lost yield.
- **The R$21,000 Impact:** See how a mid-size company loses more than R$21,000 a year just by choosing the wrong payment model.
- **D+37 Leverage Strategy:** How to use your credit limit to gain operating breathing room while your cash keeps earning until the invoice is due.
- **Discount vs. Yield:** The exact calculation for choosing between an upfront discount or strategic installments to maximize the CDI.
- **Real-Time Tax Shield:** How instant reconciliation of invoices protects your margin and guarantees 100% tax deduction without manual paperwork.

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## Download the full report

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[Download here](https://www.clara.com/downloads/webflow/695af87260de1349e7cd3934/69bb2ccd3bf268574e680158%5FWhitepaper---O-Custo-Invisivel-do-Pre-pago.pdf)