IT Forum – 03/04/2026
Growth exceeding expectations last year is expected to slow in 2026 as the market matures, according to a study by IDC and ABES.
O Brazilian information technology market reached US$ 67.8 billion in revenue During 2025, growth of 18.5% is projected compared to US$$ 58.6 billion in 2024 – and above the global average of 14.1% for the same period. Despite the considerable expansion, the projection for 2026 is much lower, at 5.3%, and below the projected world average (of 9.7%), as the country approaches a phase of maturity.
The data was presented by the Brazilian Association of Software Companies (ABES) in an open live stream on YouTube this Wednesday (1st). The Study of the Brazilian Software Market – Overview and Trends 2026, as it is called, is in its 20th edition and is held annually by IDC. According to the authors, Brazil is entering a "new phase," with IT investments undergoing consolidation, becoming more selective and focused on productivity, cost optimization, and business impact.
“We have emerged from a cycle of acceleration driven by digitalization, intensive cloud adoption, and advances in artificial intelligence, and are now entering a phase of greater maturity. In this new phase, growth continues, but it is now driven by efficiency, scale, and governance,” explains a statement. Jorge Sukarie Neto, ABES advisor and is responsible for the study. "Companies are no longer investing solely in digitization; they are now seeking concrete returns, integration between technologies, and greater cost rationalization."“
According to IDC, Brazil maintained its 10th position in the global ranking of IT investments, and 1st place in Latin America – where it increased its leadership from 34.7% in 2024 to 38.4% in regional investment participation in 2025. "The increase in regional participation demonstrates the sector's resilience and the continuity of strategic investments in the country," says [IDC representative]. Fabio Martinelli, senior analyst for the corporate sector at IDC in Latin America.
The study also points out that the Brazilian IT market still has a strong concentration of investments in hardware, which represents 47.91 TFP of the total, followed by software (32.11 TFP) and services (201 TFP). “As we advance in digitalization, the trend is for software and services to gain more relevance, driven by cloud models, artificial intelligence, and managed services. This is the movement that will bring Brazil closer to more mature markets (...)”, explains Sukarie Neto.
AI as infrastructure
According to the study, in 2025 artificial intelligence (especially generative intelligence) was the main driver of growth. In 2026, however, the technology consolidates itself as the basis of digital operations, and the focus of companies shifts to integrating AI into business processes. The demand for infrastructure will remain high due to the "need to support AI applications, with continued investments in cloud, data centers, and high-capacity networks," say the authors.
Cybersecurity, which was already a priority for 36% Brazilian companies in 2025, remains important this year. Architectures such as Zero Trust and the use of AI applied to security indicate, according to IDC and ABES, a shift in approach towards continuous risk management.
