MicroBank

What MicroBank does

MicroBank (legally Nuevo MicroBank, S.A.U., Bank of Spain code 0133) is the social and ethical banking arm of CaixaBank, S.A., wholly-owned and operating as a single-purpose credit institution focused on financial inclusion across Spain. Founded in 2007 and headquartered within the CaixaBank group in Madrid, it lends to entrepreneurs, micro-enterprises, students, social enterprises, agricultural operators, families with income below €25,200, and vulnerable consumers who lack access to mainstream credit — without requiring real collateral on most products. Its portfolio spans the Microcrèdit Negocis Conveni (up to €30K–€50K), the Préstamo Empresa Social (up to €2M), Skills & Education loans for students and education companies (up to €2M), Préstamo MicroBank Salud (up to €25K), Microcrèdit Familiar (up to €25K), Préstamo Agrario, Microcrèdit Innovació amb impacte social (up to €50K, EIF/InvestEU-backed), Préstamo Inversión Sostenible, the Cuenta de Pago Básica, the Cuenta MicroBank, Monte de Piedad pawnbroking services in four cities, and two ethical investment funds.

The technology stack is delivered through CaixaBankNow, the CaixaBank group digital banking platform available on web, mobile and TV in 19 languages, with a WCAG 2.2 AA-targeted accessibility layer audited by Ilunion Accesibilidad, S.A. (May 2025). Underlying deposits and debit-card issuance are split between CaixaBank, S.A. and the hybrid payment institution CaixaBank Payments & Consumer (CPC). Distribution combines the national CaixaBank branch network (where CaixaBank acts as agent of Nuevo MicroBank) with a 280+ collaborating-entity network that pre-screens borrowers and issues mandatory feasibility reports, supplemented by specialty referral partners (mental-health clinics, agrarian entities, social-services verification bodies). The model is best understood as a regulated, non-profit credit institution whose revenue is net interest income from its loan book, complemented by fund-distribution and account fees, with risk capital substantially de-risked by EIF/InvestEU, EIB, and CEB guarantees.

Name

MicroBank

Legal name

Nuevo MicroBank, S.A.U.

Website

https://microbank.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MicroBank (Nuevo MicroBank, S.A.U.) is the social and ethical banking arm of CaixaBank, providing no-real-collateral microcredits and loans to Spanish entrepreneurs, students, social enterprises, families and vulnerable consumers via a 280+ partner-entity network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microfinance and Ethical Banking

NAICS

Nondepository Credit Intermediation (5222), Commercial Banking (522110)

SIC

Personal Credit Institutions (6141), Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

Microloans & Working Capital Loans (FSAKAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microenterprise Group Lending (Joint Liability) (FSAKAGAH), Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets (BPAGABAM), Underbanked/Financial Inclusion Neobanks (FSABAFAJ)

Keywords

• Microcredit lending
• Social banking services
• Ethical finance products
• Microenterprise loans
• Financial inclusion banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Barcelona

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Interest income on microcredits and loans: Primary revenue stream: fixed-rate interest on personal and business microcredits (Family, Negocis Conveni, Skills & Education, Empresa Social, Innovació, Agrari, Salut) with maturities up to 10 years and ticket sizes ranging from a few thousand euros to €2 million for education companies. €46.5M disbursed in microcredits in 2025 (latest reported figure).
2. Ethical investment fund management fees: MicroBank distributes two investment funds: MicroBank Fondo Ético, FI and MicroBank SI Impacto RV, FI, generating asset-based/management fee revenue linked to fund AUM.
3. Basic Payment Account maintenance fees: Monthly maintenance fee of €3 on the Cuenta MicroBank / Cuenta de Pago Básica (NIR 0%, APR -0.718% on €5,000 example balance). Fee waived for vulnerable customers per RD 164/2019.
4. Monte de Piedad pawnbroking revenue: Pawn auction and loan activity operated through Monte de Piedad branches (Barcelona, Sevilla, Madrid, Tenerife). Exclusively contractable in those four cities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

MicroBank (Nuevo MicroBank, S.A.U.) is the social and ethical bank of CaixaBank, providing microcredits, personal and business loans, basic payment accounts, pawnbroking services, and ethical investment funds to entrepreneurs, students, social enterprises, the agricultural sector and financially vulnerable consumers across Spain. Products are delivered through the CaixaBank branch and ATM network, the CaixaBankNow digital banking platform, and a network of more than 280 collaborating entities that pre-screen and mentor borrowers.

Product overview

MicroBank, the social bank of CaixaBank (Nuevo MicroBank, S.A.U.), is a single ethical-and-social banking franchise rather than a software platform: the offering is centered on a portfolio of microcredits and loans for entrepreneurs, students, social enterprises, agriculture and households, plus a small set of accounts and an investment-fund line, all delivered through the CaixaBank branch and ATM network. Its core portfolio is anchored by the Microcrédito Negocios Convenio Entidades, the Préstamo Empresa Social and the Préstamo Skills & Education (alongside the dedicated Skills & Education loan for education companies), and is extended by the Préstamo Agroinversión Sostenible, Préstamo Agrario, Préstamo Inversión Sostenible, Microcrédito Innovación con impacto social, Préstamo MicroBank Salud, and the Microcrédito Familiar. On the transactional side, customers are served by the Cuenta MicroBank and the Cuenta de Pago Básica, with the latter embedding the regulatory Basic Payment Account; the Monte de Piedad pawnbroking service and the MicroBank Fondo Ético, FI and MicroBank SI Impacto RV, FI investment funds complete the product set. Operational and digital access is unified through CaixaBankNow, the online/mobile/TV banking channel of CaixaBank, complemented by the MicroBank Academy for training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Microcrédito Negocios Convenio Entidades Microcredit of up to €30,000 (€50,000 for legal entities) for entrepreneurs, self-employed and micro-enterprises (up to 9 employees and €2M annual turnover), 6-year term with optional 6-month grace period, fixed interest, no real collateral; applied through a collaborating entity that issues the business plan and feasibility report.
• Préstamo Empresa Social
• Préstamo Skills & Education (Students)
• Skills & Education para Empresas de Educación
• Préstamo Agroinversión Sostenible
• Préstamo Agrario
• Préstamo Inversión Sostenible
• Microcrédito Innovación con impacto social
• Préstamo MicroBank Salud
• Microcrédito Familiar
• Cuenta MicroBank
• Cuenta de Pago Básica
• Monte de Piedad (Subastas y Préstamos)
• MicroBank Fondo Ético, FI
• MicroBank SI Impacto RV, FI Equity investment fund allowing customers to invest savings with a positive social impact, distributed through the CaixaBank fund platform (FON_idFondo=90187).
• MicroBank Academy Personalized learning path with free online courses (including how to draft a business plan) to help users develop and consolidate their business project, framed within MicroBank's inclusive-finance mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9,541 businesses started and 32,245 direct jobs created (2024 cumulative)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

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

• CaixaBank, S.A.flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCaixaBank is the parent group and the agent through which MicroBank distributes all products. CaixaBank, S.A. is "entidad agente de Nuevo MicroBank, S.A.U." (Tax ID A-65619421, Bank of Spain code 0133). Customers open accounts, sign contracts and apply for loans at CaixaBank branches and via CaixaBankNow.
• Fundación "la Caixa"coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFundación "la Caixa" is listed in the MicroBank "It may interest you" cross-link section. It is the philanthropic arm of the same group (the "la Caixa" group) that owns CaixaBank and MicroBank, providing strategic and reputational alignment.
• Monte de Piedad (CaixaBank)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerMonte de Piedad is the pawnbroking/auction brand owned within the CaixaBank group and integrated into MicroBank's product catalogue. MicroBank distributes the Subhastas y Préstamos Monte de Piedad product, contractable exclusively in the Monte de Piedad branches in Barcelona, Sevilla, Madrid and Tenerife.
• 280+ collaborating entities (mentoring/feasibility-report network)flagshipImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMore than 280 third-party collaborating entities across all Spanish autonomous communities mentor entrepreneurs and issue the mandatory feasibility report required for the Negocis Conveni Entitats microcredit. They are MicroBank's primary distribution and pre-screening layer for entrepreneur lending.
• AMALGAMA7minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMental-health clinic (Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 620, Barcelona) that signs collaboration agreements with MicroBank to issue the personal feasibility report required for the Préstec MicroBank Salut.
• RECURRA GINSOminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMental-health clinic (C/ Corazón de María 80, Madrid) collaborating with MicroBank to issue feasibility reports for the Préstec MicroBank Salut.
• EDAIminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMental-health centre (C/ Vilamur 15, Barcelona) collaborating with MicroBank to issue the personal feasibility report for the Préstec MicroBank Salut.
• ITA Especialistas en Salud MentalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMental-health clinic (Avda. Pau Casals 16, Barcelona) collaborating with MicroBank to issue feasibility reports for the Préstec MicroBank Salut.
• CAT Barcelona (Centro de Asistencia Terapéutica)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMental-health centre (C/ Anglí 54, Barcelona) collaborating with MicroBank to issue feasibility reports for the Préstec MicroBank Salut.
• Fundación SurtminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerListed as a collaborating entity in MicroBank's locador for the Microcredit Innovació amb impacte social (CA Guàrdia 14, 08034 Barcelona). Helps prepare business plans and issue feasibility reports.
• Acción Contra el HambreminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpecialised agrarian collaborating entity (C/ Aravaca 22, Madrid) listed as a partner for the Préstec Agrari — supports agricultural entrepreneurs with business-plan and viability-report preparation.
• UCAM – Unión de Cooperativas Agrarias MadrileñasminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpecialised agrarian collaborating entity (C/ Jordán 8, 28010 Madrid) supporting the Préstec Agrari.
• Asociación Como Una CabraminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpecialised agrarian collaborating entity (Av. Cañada Toledana 2 2º, 28971 Griñón, Madrid) supporting the Préstec Agrari.
• ASAJA
• Social-services entities accepting free-account reports (Cruz Roja Española, Cáritas Española, ACCEM, Fundación Cruz Blanca, Fundación Secretariado Gitano, Fundación Cepaim)coreOthersListed by CaixaBank (MicroBank's agent) as approved organisations whose social-worker reports are accepted to qualify for the free Basic Payment Account for vulnerable customers. Indirect GTM channel for the most financially-excluded segment.
• Fundació de l'EsperançaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSocial-organisation that helped the founders of La Llaminera draw up their business plan and referred them to MicroBank for financing, illustrating the role of the collaborating-entity network in originating entrepreneur loans.
• CaixaBank Payments & Consumer (CPC)coreTechnology or IntegrationHybrid payment institution that issues the debit card included in the Basic Payment Account, with registered office at Avenida de Manoteras 20, Edificio París (28050 Madrid). CPC keeps customer funds in a separate account at CaixaBank.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Triodos Bank: Triodos Bank N.V. is a European ethical and sustainable bank with a Spanish branch that lends only to organizations creating social, environmental or cultural value. It is directly comparable to MicroBank in mission (ethical/social banking), customer overlap (social enterprises, sustainable SMEs), and product set (impact loans + sustainable investment funds), competing for the same Spanish social-finance wallet.
• Fiare Banca Etica: Fiare Banca Etica is a Spanish-Italian cooperative ethical bank operating in Spain with a shared ethical-banking mandate. It directly competes with MicroBank in social-enterprise lending and ethical current accounts, and serves a similar segment of impact-driven borrowers and savers in Spain.
• BBVA Microfinance Foundation: BBVA Microfinance Foundation is the financial-inclusion arm of BBVA, providing microcredits and small-business loans to vulnerable entrepreneurs across Latin America and other emerging markets. It is directly comparable to MicroBank in mission (productive microcredit to underserved entrepreneurs), underwriting (no real collateral, partner-led feasibility), and target outcomes (jobs and businesses created).
• Coop57: Coop57 is a Spanish ethical cooperative finance cooperative that lends to social and solidarity-economy entities, funded by savers who deposit their money ethically. It is directly comparable to MicroBank in serving Spanish social enterprises and ethical cooperatives, with a similar community-led origination model.
• Oikocredit: Oikocredit is a Dutch-rooted global cooperative that finances financial inclusion, renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture in emerging markets. It is comparable to MicroBank in its social-finance mandate, institutional partners (including European development banks), and focus on microfinance institutions as distribution partners.

Others

• European Microfinance Network (EMN): EMN is the European umbrella association for microfinance institutions, of which MicroBank is operationally comparable to its member base. As an industry body it is not a direct competitor but defines the standards, policy advocacy and partner ecosystem that MicroBank operates within.
• European Investment Fund (EIF): EIF is a pan-European institution that backs MicroBank's lending via the InvestEU guarantee programme and similar instruments. While not a competitor, EIF defines the institutional capital and guarantee framework on which MicroBank's cost of capital and risk appetite depend, and other EIF-backed institutions (e.g., other European ethical/development banks) are close operational analogues.

Broad incumbents

• ICO (Instituto de Crédito Oficial): ICO is Spain's state-owned promotional bank, providing subsidised financing lines to Spanish SMEs, entrepreneurs and self-employed workers via partner banks including CaixaBank. It is broadly comparable to MicroBank in serving Spanish micro-entrepreneurs through guaranteed loan programmes, but operates at much larger scale and across all sectors rather than specialising in social impact.
• CaixaBank (parent comparison): CaixaBank is the parent universal bank that distributes MicroBank's products through its branch and digital network. It is broadly comparable as a Spanish retail/SME lender, but operates at vastly larger scale across the full customer spectrum, with MicroBank positioned as its specialised social-inclusion arm rather than a direct head-to-head competitor.

Regional players

• KfW Development Bank: KfW Entwicklungsbank is the German state development bank that finances microfinance and SME-inclusion programmes internationally, often with EIF and CEB co-funding. It is a regional/structural peer — same mission (financial inclusion via EU-aligned development finance) but operating outside Spain — useful as a comparable for institutional backing, partner-led distribution and social-impact lending economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@MicroBank-MBK
• LinkedInes.linkedin.com/company/microbank
• Instagraminstagram.com/microbank_es

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about MicroBank