Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria

What Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria does

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (BBVA) is a Spanish-domiciled, globally diversified universal bank serving more than 81.2 million active customers across 25+ countries, with leading franchises in Spain, Mexico (its largest market after Spain), South America (Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela) and Türkiye (via Garanti BBVA). The group operates through retail and commercial banking, Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB), asset management, private banking, and an emerging embedded-finance/BaaS business; FY2025 gross income reached €36.93B and net attributable profit hit a record €10.51B (+4.5% YoY), with 19.3% ROTE, 38.8% efficiency, and 12.70% CET1.

The product surface combines an extensive physical branch and ATM network with award-winning mobile and online channels (66% of 11.5 million new customers in 2025 joined digitally). Flagship offerings include Garanti BBVA Mobile and its Ugi AI assistant (6.4M+ monthly interactions, 300+ banking transactions, 90% intent understanding via generative AI), the Bonus/BonusFlaş card platform (18M users across eight partner banks), BBVA CIB project and infrastructure finance, BBVA Asset Management's open-platform private-markets funds, and the new BBVA Germany credit card launched with Mastercard in June 2026. The OpenAI strategic alliance and founding role in the OpenAI Deployment Company are integrated with ADA — BBVA's proprietary global cloud-based data and AI platform on AWS, now combined with a new MLOps architecture that accelerates AI model development by up to 75%.

Revenue is generated primarily through net interest income (the dominant stream, with 13.9% growth in 2025 and >20% YoY in Q1 2026), complemented by net fees and commissions (+14.6% in 2025), CIB advisory and capital markets activity (€2.185B in Q1 2026), and an increasingly material mix of insurance, private banking, asset management, and payments. The group operates a hybrid go-to-market: physical branches and relationship managers for SMEs, corporates, and high-net-worth segments, plus self-serve digital channels for retail, with embedded finance and partnership distribution (e.g., Partners Group, FrauDfense, solarisBank) extending reach. Customer lending grew 16.2% in 2025, profitability metrics are best-in-class for European banks, and €9.2B in shareholder distributions were committed against 2025 results, including a €3.96B extraordinary buyback launched after the failed Sabadell bid.

Name

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria

Legal name

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A.

Website

https://bbva.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

BBVA is a Spanish-domiciled global universal bank serving 81.2 million active customers across 25+ countries, with leading franchises in Spain, Mexico, South America, and Türkiye. It generates revenue through retail, CIB, asset management, and embedded finance, underpinned by its ADA data and AI platform on AWS.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Universal Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (522110), Credit Card Issuing (522210)

SIC

National Commercial Banks (6021), State Commercial Banks (6022)

akta.pro primary industry

Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings) (FSABAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Consumer & Retail (CPG, Food, Apparel) (FSABACAM), BaaS Platforms & Sponsor Bank Enablement (FSAGALAA)

Keywords

• Retail banking services
• Corporate investment banking
• Asset management services
• Consumer lending products
• Trade finance solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Bilbao

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Net Interest Income (NII): Primary revenue stream from interest on customer lending. In Q1 2026 net interest income grew more than 20% YoY; 2025 net interest income grew 13.9% at constant exchange rates; gross income reached €36.93 billion in 2025.
2. Net Fees and Commissions: Fee-based revenue from transaction banking, asset management, advisory and other services. In 2025 net fees and commissions grew 14.6% at constant exchange rates.
3. Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB) Services: BBVA CIB posted revenues of €2.185 billion in Q1 2026. CIB provides advisory, capital markets, structured financing, transaction banking and project finance across geographies.
4. Insurance, Private Banking, Asset Management and Payments: Low-capital consumption and high-value creation businesses contributing to revenue diversification as per BBVA's capital creation strategy.
5. Retail Banking Products and Cards: Revenue from retail banking products including credit cards (e.g., new German credit card offering cashback and no foreign exchange fees).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

BBVA is a global universal banking group offering retail banking (accounts, deposits, mortgages, consumer lending, cards, payments, digital banking) and Corporate & Investment Banking (transaction banking, capital markets, advisory, project and infrastructure finance, trade finance) to more than 81.2 million customers across 25+ countries, with adjacent asset management, private banking, insurance, and embedded finance offerings. Revenue is primarily generated through net interest income from customer lending, supplemented by net fees and commissions, and supported by digital channels including proprietary AI assistants and the ADA data platform.

Product overview

BBVA operates a multi-brand, platform-plus-modules architecture spanning retail, corporate, asset management, and innovation businesses across more than 25 countries. The core franchise comprises BBVA Retail Banking (universal bank in Spain, Mexico, South America, and digital banks in Italy and Germany), Garanti BBVA (the Turkish subsidiary, including Garanti BBVA Mobile, Bonus/BonusFlaş cards, Ugi AI assistant, My Family, My Credit Coach and Fund Bot), and BBVA CIB (Corporate & Investment Banking with project and infrastructure finance). Supporting sub-brands and specialized units include BBVA Asset Management, BBVA Spark (startup services), BBVA AI Factory, BBVA Technology, BBVA Research, and the BBVA Foundation. Underpinning the franchise is ADA, BBVA's global cloud-based data and AI platform built on AWS, together with a new MLOps architecture, the AI Transformation global area, the OpenAI strategic alliance (including a founding partnership in the OpenAI Deployment Company), and ChatGPT Enterprise deployment in Internal Audit. Cross-bank services include FrauDfense Check (jointly with Santander and CaixaBank), BBVA Open to Partners Group (private markets fund), and the BKM-integrated Garanti BBVA Request to Pay API. Notable product launches include the BBVA Germany credit card (with Mastercard), Apple Intelligence-powered card personalization, Garanti BBVA Ugi (10-year AI assistant), the Polestar $300M equity investment, and BBVA's global rollout of ADA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Garanti BBVA: Turkish universal banking franchise; formerly Türkiye Garanti Bankası A.Ş.
• BBVA Provincial
• BBVA CIB
• BBVA Asset Management
• BBVA AI Factory
• BBVA Spark
• BBVA Technology
• BBVA Research
• FrauDfense
• BBVA Foundation
• BBVA Microfinance Foundation

Products and services

• BBVA Retail Banking Universal retail and commercial banking franchise operating across Spain, Mexico, South America, Türkiye, and digital banks in Italy and Germany, serving more than 81.2 million active customers with universal banking, deposits, lending, payments, cards, and digital channels.
• BBVA Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB) BBVA's Corporate & Investment Banking division providing investment banking, transaction banking, capital markets, infrastructure finance, and project finance to large corporations, governments and financial institutions. Recognized by Global Finance as Best Investment Bank in Spain, Mexico, Peru, and Türkiye, with leadership in infrastructure financing across Western and Central & Eastern Europe.
• Garanti BBVA (Türkiye Retail & Universal Banking) BBVA's Turkish banking franchise operating across retail, corporate, SME, private banking, and digital; serves as BBVA's primary vehicle in Türkiye, including Garanti BBVA Mobile and Bonus cards (18 million users).
• BBVA Asset Management Asset management business of BBVA; partners with Partners Group on BBVA Open to Partners Group Mercados Privados IX, FIL — Spain's first open-ended, multi-strategy private markets fund covering private equity, infrastructure, and private debt.
• BBVA Germany Credit Card BBVA Germany's first credit card, launched in partnership with Mastercard, with cashback and no foreign exchange charges and an initial six-month fee-free trial period for new cardholders.
• BBVA Open to Partners Group Mercados Privados IX Fund Spain's first open-ended, multi-strategy private markets fund offering continuous access with liquidity features across private equity, infrastructure, and private debt, distributed through BBVA Asset Management.
• Ugi (Garanti BBVA AI Smart Assistant) Garanti BBVA's AI-powered smart assistant handling 6.4M+ monthly interactions, supporting 300+ end-to-end banking transactions, with 1.6M active users, and now using generative AI to understand 90% of user requests.
• Bonus / Bonus Card Platform (Garanti BBVA) Garanti BBVA's flagship credit card and credit card platform with 18 million users and eight partner banks; integral to Türkiye's bank-card ecosystem.
• ADA Data & AI Platform BBVA's global cloud-based data and AI platform built on AWS; supports analytics, AI, and automation across all BBVA geographies except Turkey. Integrated with a new MLOps architecture that accelerates AI model development by up to 75% in use cases such as personalized recommendations and financial forecasting.
• FrauDfense Check Service Cross-bank fraud-prevention service jointly operated by BBVA, Banco Santander and CaixaBank through FrauDfense, a company they own together. FrauDfense Check is its first operational service, positioning the Spanish financial industry as an international benchmark in fraud prevention.
• Garanti BBVA Request to Pay API BKM-integrated Request to Pay API that enables businesses to manage collections directly from their own systems, offering customers a fast and seamless bill-payment experience; piloted with Uludağ Elektrik.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11.5 million new customers joined in 2025, with 66% through digital channels
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability13 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• MastercardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026BBVA Germany partnered with Mastercard to launch its first credit card for German customers in June 2026. The card is free for active users with a six-month fee-free trial and offers cashback and no foreign exchange charges.
• Banco Santander and CaixaBank (Fraudfense)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026BBVA (with Banco Santander and CaixaBank) jointly own FrauDfense, a company that launched FrauDfense Check — a fraud prevention service. The three banks also jointly participated in Wallbox N.V.'s financial restructuring plan as creditors.
• Howden CAP (Doral Renewables Letter of Credit)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 16 March 2026BBVA served as primary intermediary Letter of Credit issuer alongside Howden CAP (broker) and six international underwriters in approximately $525 million surety-backed Letter of Credit facilities for Doral Renewables.
• Garanti BBVA (Türkiye subsidiary)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026Garanti BBVA is BBVA's Turkish franchise, contributing to BBVA Group's regional leadership and recognition, including awards in infrastructure finance and debt capital markets in Central & Eastern Europe. It surpassed TL 1 trillion in sustainable finance in January 2026.
• OpenAI Deployment Company (DeployCo)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026BBVA joined as a founding partner in the OpenAI Deployment Company (DeployCo) — a new OpenAI-launched company with 18 leading investment firms, consultancies and system integrators to accelerate AI enterprise transformation, with total investment exceeding $4 billion.
• OpenAI Inc. (AGI partnership)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2026Reported partnership (per The Business Research Company) to embed advanced AGI technologies into BBVA's banking operations for improved financial decision-making, customer service automation, and risk management.
• OpenAIflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2025BBVA and OpenAI announced a strategic AI partnership to redefine banking with artificial intelligence. BBVA joined as a founding partner in the OpenAI Deployment Company (DeployCo) — a $4 billion+ initiative with 18 leading investment firms, consultancies and system integrators to facilitate AI deployment across enterprises. The alliance expands BBVA's ability to scale AI-driven banking solutions.
• SurecompcoreTechnology or Integration · 17 November 2025BBVA incorporated Surecomp's RIVO trade finance platform into its digital financial services to drive trade finance transformation and enhance capabilities.
• Partners GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2025BBVA Asset Management partnered with Partners Group to launch BBVA Open to Partners Group Mercados Privados IX, FIL — Spain's first open-ended, multi-strategy private markets fund managed by Partners Group.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreTechnology or Integration · 29 October 2025BBVA completed the global rollout of ADA, its cloud data platform, using AWS technology across all geographies except Turkey. BBVA also developed a new MLOps architecture with AWS integrated into ADA to accelerate AI model development, validation and deployment, reducing development times by up to 75% for use cases like personalized customer recommendations and financial forecasting.
• University of NavarraminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 14 February 2025BBVA partnered with the University of Navarra to launch BBVA's first Industrial Doctorates in Data Science program.
• Belén Garijo López (Merck CEO - BBVA Board)minorOthersBBVA Board member with experience also on L'Oréal board, appointed as independent Non-Executive Director of Unilever effective 13 May 2026.
• European Banking Consortium (Stablecoin)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBVA joined a banking consortium to issue a European Stablecoin. Also participates in Project Agorá validating tokenized cross-border payments with central banks and 40+ international financial institutions.
• solarisBank (BaaS investment)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBVA holds an investment in solarisBank, a Banking-as-a-Service provider; BBVA was named Best Bank for Embedded Finance by Global Finance.

Scale indicators20 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Banco Santander: The other large Spanish-headquartered universal bank with comparable global footprint (Europe, LatAm, US via Santander US, UK). Directly competes with BBVA in Spanish retail, CIB, and across Latin America, and is the most direct peer for cross-border banking and sustainability finance.
• CaixaBank: Spain's largest domestic retail bank and BBVA's primary competitor in Spanish retail and SME banking. Joint venture partner (with BBVA and Santander) in FrauDfense fraud-prevention JV, illustrating direct overlap in core Spanish markets.
• Banco de Sabadell: Spanish mid-sized universal bank that was the target of BBVA's failed €17B hostile bid. Comparable in Spanish retail, SME, and CIB businesses, making it a natural benchmark for BBVA's home-market positioning and pricing.
• Bankinter: Spanish universal bank focused on retail, corporate banking and consumer credit. Comparable in digital-banking strategy and Spanish SME segment, and a key competitor for high-value retail customers in Spain.
• Itaú Unibanco: Latin America's largest private bank, with leading franchises in Brazil and across the region. Closest pure-play comparable to BBVA's South American business, particularly in retail, cards, and SME banking.

Broad incumbents

• ING Group: European universal bank with a strong digital-first retail model in multiple countries. BBVA's digital bank strategy in Germany and Italy and its AI-led hyper-personalization roadmap closely mirror ING's 'banking-as-a-platform' play.
• BNP Paribas: Eurozone's largest bank by assets, with a comparable mix of retail, CIB, asset management and sustainable finance. Provides a benchmark for CIB scale, project finance leadership, and capital-markets positioning in Europe.
• HSBC Holdings: Global universal bank with strong emerging-markets and trade-finance franchises. Comparable to BBVA in cross-border CIB, sustainable finance, and Asia-LatAm connectivity, though with materially larger scale.
• UniCredit: Pan-European universal bank with strong German and Italian franchises — directly relevant to BBVA's growing digital and corporate presence in Germany and Italy — and a peer on European banking profitability benchmarks.
• Standard Chartered: Emerging-markets-focused universal bank with a CIB-led model. Comparable to BBVA in cross-border trade finance, project finance, and corporate banking across Asia, Middle East and LatAm, though with a different geographic mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bbva
• Facebookfacebook.com/bbvaenespana
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bbvaespana

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Subsidiaries18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A8 records

Investments68 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria