Advances in technology contribute to economic progress and have a direct, long-term impact on society’s well-being. Clearly, digital transformation creates opportunities that improve both our lives and our businesses. BBVA shares this view: the bank has made a commitment to new technologies such as blockchain, which allow it to offer innovative financing approaches to its corporate clients.

Last year, a product that had been practically unheard of took the world of corporate financing by storm: green loans. These are loans aimed at advancing environmental sustainability and until quite recently came under the umbrella of Green Bond Principles. As of a few months ago they now have their own guidelines known as Green Loan Principles.

Having successfully carried out the first pilots in the world of a loan and a corporate credit facility using blockchain, BBVA has signed a new loan with ACS using this technology. The deal shows that BBVA Corporate & Investment Banking is continuing to focus on an innovative financing model for its corporate clients.

The European Union continues to redouble its focus on sustainable finances and as part of this strategy the European Parliament last week held a forum attended by the main players in the financial world, among them BBVA through the presence of Antoni Ballabriga, Global Head of Responsible Business at the Bank.

BBVA has successfully completed the first global corporate loan transaction using blockchain technology from the negotiation of the deal to its signing, in line with their close collaboration to leverage cutting-edge technologies to streamline business processes.

BBVA has signed a $400-million-dollar green loan with Iberdrola, the first green corporate loan to be formalized in Latin America. This reasserts BBVA’s commitment to sustainable financing by supporting the development and implementation of financial products in the green format.

Renovalia is the first company to secure a ‘green project finance’ loan to fund the development of a renewable energy project in Spain. BBVA acted as ‘green loan coordinator’ of this €74 million facility, which will allow the company to fund Project Wind, which envisages the construction of two wind farms, one in Lleida and one in Barcelona, with 70 MW of combined installed capacity.

Iberdrola has signed two new sustainable syndicated loans for a total of 5.3 billion euros, the largest ever signed globally. BBVA has led these transactions by acting as a sustainable agent.

BBVA has acted as a Green Agent for a green credit in the amount of 800 million euros for Red Eléctrica España S.A. (“REE”). This is the first syndicated green revolving credit facility in Spain, and also the first of its kind in the electric utilities sector.

BBVA Compass has closed a $5 million equity investment in Pathway Lending, becoming the largest investor in Alabama’s effort to build up small businesses in the state’s Appalachian region. Pathway Lending, a Community Development Financial Institution certified by the U.S. Department of Treasury, will operate the state’s new loan fund for small businesses in the 37 counties of Appalachian Alabama.

BBVA has joined a group of 14 banks that have made a commitment to the United Nations Environment Programme – Finance Initiative (UNEP-FI) to implement the recommendations on financing and climate change published by the Financial Stability Board in July in the framework of the G20.

BBVA has acted as Green Loan Coordinator of a €176 million green loan granted to Sociedade Concesionaria Novo Hospital de Vigo S.A., the concessionaire responsible for non-hospital services at the instititution, which has been renamed Hospital Álvaro Cunqueiro. Servizo Galego de Saúde, Galicia’s healthcare service, awarded the 25-year construction and operation to the concessionaire, a consortium formed by Acciona, Grupo Puentes, Veolia España and Concesia.

Entrepreneurs seeking to launch or expand their enterprise may experience big success for their small business when it’s built with a set of prime financial tools. According to BBVA Compass Director of Small Business Product Solutions Lance Gibson, while needs differ from business to business, there are some financial tools that are essential when it comes to starting or growing a small business.

BBVA has signed a 240 million euro sustainable loan in favor of the Autonomous Community of Madrid, the first loan of this kind granted by the bank to an autonomous region in Spain.

A bevy of recent awards and recognitions for BBVA Compass has shined the spotlight on the bank’s Corporate, Commercial and Small Business operations, highlighting the bank’s elite solutions for its wide range of clients.

Yesterday, Tradebe obtained the world’s first green syndicated financing in term loan format, for a total of €265 million. The transaction was signed by 11 national and foreign financial institutions with strong oversubscription under BBVA’s leadership as Facility and Green Agent, Coordinator and Sole Bookrunner.

In April, BBVA signed a $100 million green loan agreement with Acciona to partially fund solar and wind projects in Chile. This is the second-ever green loan secured by a Spanish company; both have been made by BBVA.

BBVA closed 2016 with an excellent achievement in terms of its loan business. The Bank acted as Bookrunner (the top role of any institution in a syndicated operation) in 60% of the transactions in which it was involved. Also, it increased its market share from 8.2% in 2015 to 14.8% in 2016.

On Wednesday, BBVA signed a green loan in favor of Iberdrola for 500 million euros. In addition to being the first operation of this type for an energy sector company, this agreement involves the highest sum as of this date.