In late March, BBVA USA announced that it would be closing most of its 637 branch lobbies and instead serving customers through its drive-thrus, among other modifications. The changes, put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and for the safety of its clients, is now reaching its two month anniversary.

BBVA Group executive chairman Carlos Torres Vila and BBVA CEO Onur Genç participated in a virtual Live@BBVA event with more than 65,000 connections from employees. They provided answers to questions about how BBVA is dealing with the coronavirus crisis and sent a message of hope. “Together we can ensure that the recovery is stronger,” the chairman said. “It is time to step up and make a difference,” and to do so, “ “it is essential that we all – authorities, companies and society a whole – act in a coordinated manner.”

In an op-ed published in El País, Olga Gouveia, Principal Economist at BBVA Research, recalls the importance of banking services – considered essential services by authorities in many countries – in the current crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, banks are part of the solution and the recovery will be faster if they remain capable of financing the economy.

On Monday, the Country Manager of BBVA in Spain, Peio Belausteguigoitia, held a virtual meeting with the team from bank’s entire business area in Spain (more than 20,000 people) to offer support and update them on the bank’s current situation. The director reported that the bank has managed to adapt to the new situation in record time.

Lending institutions belonging to the Spanish Banking Association (AEB) and the Spanish Federation of Savings Banks (CECA) are joining forces to announce a new voluntary measure to help mortgage customers affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a statement from both entities. People with a mortgage on their first home who are affected economically by the coronavirus outbreak may apply for a deferral of up to 12 months in the capital repayment. Likewise, principal repayments on personal consumer loans are to be deferred for up to six months. This means that these customers will only pay the interests on the mortgage loan, which will reduce considerably the amount they were paying until now.

Financial services are key to helping citizen endure the social and economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis. BBVA firmly believes that banks are a powerful tool to guarantee the protection of the most vulnerable, relieve the financial burden of those suffering the most from this crisis, and provide sufficient financing for the subsequent economic recovery. For this reason, it has launched numerous initiatives around the world to protect its employees and society as a whole, and support customers during this period.

BBVA’s Group executive chairman said that the bank has to “step up and make a difference” to do everything in its power to “save lives, mitigate the economic impact, and help others overcome these difficult times.” Carlos Torres Vila also announced that as an act of responsibility with society, customers and clients, shareholders and employees in the current context, “Those of us running the bank on a global level and in the different countries have decided to give up all variable compensation in the year 2020.” In a video made for employees, he maintained that BBVA is facing the COVID-19 crisis from a position of strength.

Spanish banks are to provide a deferral of up to three months on rent payments for families affected by the coronavirus and living in dwellings belonging to the Spanish Social Housing Fund.  This fund was created in 2013 and includes more than 10,000 dwellings in Spain that are the property of lending institutions.

Garanti BBVA, BBVA’s Turkish unit, has implemented a series of proactive measures to address the coronavirus pandemic, currently affecting 176 countries in the world. Garanti BBVA considers the health of its employees’, their families’, and society at large as its most important priority.

The Spanish Banking Association (AEB) supports the economic measures announced today by the Government amidst the coronavirus outbreak in order to avoid a production drop and to back employment. The AEB also expresses its complete disposition to facilitate their implementation and thus mitigate the impact of this crisis on families and businesses.

BBVA USA’s Global Wealth team saw a continued growth in customer satisfaction in 2019, reporting solid Net Promoter Score via its Voice of the Client Experience Program.

2019 has seen the first 5G networks rolled out and the first achievements in quantum computing, as well as the establishment of various financial initiatives using blockchain. These three technologies will mark a before and after in the banking sector in the years to come.

Following several quarters of slowing down, the Turkish economy is starting to stabilize, and forecasts suggest a V-shaped recovery for 2020. BBVA CEO went to Turkey this week to meet with the Garanti BBVA team. Onur Genç stressed that: “Turkey was the biggest positive surprise for the Group in 2019, and 2020 will be even better.”

Head of Commercial and Wealth Rafael Bustillo has been a leading force in the evolution of banking in his 30-plus years at BBVA. But, it’s the future that he’s most excited about. In the following interview, Bustillo gave his thoughts about the challenges and opportunities facing the bank’s Commercial & Wealth team in the coming year.

BBVA USA has been named the 2019 CX Leader for U.S. Commercial Middle Market Banking, according to the research-based financial consulting firm Greenwich Associates.

In an opinion piece published by the Spanish daily newspaper ‘ABC,’ BBVA CEO Onur Genç asserts that Spanish banks are recognized international leaders in the sector, not only because of their financial solidity and global reach, but also because they have spearheaded the transformation of the industry.

BBVA USA announced today that Jon Rebello has been named its Austin CEO, where he will oversee Commercial banking and Global Wealth operations in the market.

BBVA USA has promoted Dillan Knudson to the position of Houston CEO, where he will oversee Commercial banking and Global Wealth operations for the bank’s biggest U.S. market.

In recent months, the term MREL (which stands for Minimum Required Eligible Liabilities) has been appearing more and more frequently in business and economic news outlets. We see it being used repeatedly in bank-related reports, but what is behind this acronym?

BBVA USA announced today that it has promoted Kevin Fretz to the position of BBVA USA Director of Franchise Finance.

As BBVA Chairman Carlos Torres Vila told an audience in Las Vegas last week, the connection between data and financial services is a long one.

Now that the reporting season in the banking sector is underway, it may be the right time to take a look at some of the most commonly used, but more frequently misunderstood, financial terms. One of these terms is the expression “positive jaws,” which is used, for example, by BBVA CEO Onur Genç during the results presentations.

The world of banking is continuing to undergo a paradigm shift in terms of the way it operates and the products and services it delivers. BBVA’s Global Head of New Digital Businesses (NDB), Ian Ormerod, outlines the strategies NDB enacts to build the future of banking, and how uncertainty is a key driver for its growth.

BBVA has been a pioneer in its commitment to talented young designers with the launch of its training and recruitment program. One of the architects of the program, Elena Herbosa, the Head of Talent Acquisition for Design at BBVA, explains the bank’s experience building one of the industry’s top design teams and how she sees the future of the profession in the banking sector.

BBVA has named the winner of its newly created Open Talent Award for Sustainability as Australian last mile start-up AgUnity.

Garanti BBVA is the industry leader in Turkey with its innovative retail banking products and services. As such, it was recognized as the Best Retail Bank in Turkey for the fifth year in a row by ‘World Finance,’ the internationally respected publication covering the global economy.

BBVA has been selected best digital bank in Spain for corporate and institutional clients according to the trade publication, ‘Global Finance.’ Each year, the monthly magazine recognizes the best financial institutions around the world. Founded in 1987 and with a circulation reaching more than 160 countries, ‘Global Finance’ is an established and trusted standard of excellence. The magazine also recognized BBVA this year as the world’s best corporate bank and the most innovative digital consumer bank in Latin America.

In recent times, EU institutions have made significant headway in developing a credible banking union. But despite progress, there is still a lot of work to do. According to José Manuel González-Páramo, Executive Director and Global Head of Economics and Institutional Relations at BBVA, the Europe’s new lawmaker team must promote new reforms to advance towards a true union.

Last week, Eduardo Osuna Vice President and General Manager of BBVA in Mexico, conducted a “teach-in” for analysts who follow both the bank and the Spanish banking sector in general. He used the meeting organized by BBVA to talk about the Group’s Mexican affiliate and stress the bank’s positive performance at every level.

Global Finance has crowned BBVA as the world’s best bank for corporate clients in this year’s edition of its flagship Best Global Banks awards. Thus, the prestigious publication recognizes the excellence of the product and service portfolio that the bank offers to small, medium and large business through its different business units.

Mark Zacheis is the head of BBVA Global Wealth operations in the Dallas-Fort Worth market – an area saturated with wealthy families and individuals. In fact, the DFW area was deemed as one of the top ten wealthiest places in the entire world, according to a ranking from Wealth-X in early January.

BBVA CEO Onur Genç underscored during the Group’s second quarter earnings conference call that the Group has “multiple management levers to mitigate the impact of low interest rates,” both in Europe and in the U.S.

Credit rating agency Fitch has upgraded BBVA’s senior preferred debt long-term rating by one notch to A from A-. Fitch has also affirmed the Group’s long-term Issuer Default Rating at A- with a negative outlook, thanks to the strength of the bank in Spain and the resilience of its Mexican franchise.

BBVA has been twice honored by Javelin Strategy & Research, with the independent research firm naming the bank’s mobile banking app and online banking service as a leader in its 2019 Mobile and Online Banking Scorecards.

BBVA executive chairman Carlos Torres Vila met today with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador at the National Palace in Mexico City. Torres Vila conveyed BBVA Group’s commitment with Mexico to the Mexican president and announced an investment of 63 billion pesos (about €2.9 billion at today’s exchange rate) for the 2019-2024 period. During that time, BBVA will continue to contribute to Mexico’s economic growth by providing loans to families and businesses.

The final school bell has rung for a good portion of students across the U.S. – and if it hasn’t, it surely will soon. Summer plans are being made, and that could include a family vacation abroad to experience foreign lands and new cultures with loved ones.

BBVA received two awards from the specialist publication, ‘International Tax Review’ this Thursday in London. First, José María Vallejo was recognized as the best in-house tax director in Europe in 2018; and second, the BBVA tax team was acknowledged for its contribution to one of the most notable corporate deals of the year: the transfer of the bank’s property business in Spain to Cerberus.

Within the context of a complex environment, BBVA leads the digital transformation of banking and is evolving its business model in order to create value for its various stakeholders. This is how Jaime Sáenz de Tejada, Global Head of Finance at BBVA, summarized the bank’s position at the 26th Financial Sector Summit (XXVI Encuentro del Sector Financiero), organized by Deloitte in Madrid. “Our business model is creating more value for customers and shareholders,” he said.

Türkiye Garanti Bankası A.Ş., announced its financial statements for the period ending March 31, 2019. Garanti’s net income in the first quarter of the year stood at TL 1.76 billion while its total assets increased to TL 423,32 billion, driven mainly by Turkish Lira loans.

Current progress in finalizing the Banking Union has been insufficient. There are still a number of elements to be settled, fundamentally resolution, insolvency, and the deposit guarantee scheme. “It will not be easy to reach an agreement on the most important aspects prior to the European elections for parliament, but it is critical to do so as soon as possible to avoid jeopardizing member countries’ commitment to the Banking Union,” maintains José Manuel González-Páramo, BBVA executive board member.

Mario Draghi reiterated this week that the ECB could tentatively delay the planned rate hike until next year. At a conference in Frankfurt, Draghi responded to banks’ concerns by saying negative rates could impact bank profitability, although it “is not an inevitable consequence.” Given these statements, we asked Olga Gouveia, Lead Economist for Financial Systems at BBVA Research, what is the impact of the decision to keep negative interest rates. In her opinion, it is reasonable the precautionary tone of the ECB, provided that there is a planned hike on the horizon.

BBVA Group paid €4.5 billion in worldwide tax on its own business activities in 2018, 10 percent more than in 2017. According to BBVA’s Total Tax Contribution Report, its total contribution (which is the total of the bank’s taxes and those made on behalf of third parties) rose to €9.8 billion. Since 2011 BBVA, in accordance with its commitment to transparency with customers, shareholders, employees, and society as a whole, has voluntarily released its tax information.

On Wednesday, BBVA CEO Onur Genç underscored BBVA’s commitment to continue advancing in the Group’s transformation process. Speaking to a group of international investors, he also emphasized BBVA’s strengths —both globally and by business area— in markets like Mexico and Turkey.

For the second time within a month, GOBankingRates has recognized BBVA Compass, this time highlighting its second chance checking account as one of the top in the U.S. The list includes 16 banks across the country, with BBVA Compass being the second largest bank recognized in terms of assets and branch count.

Onur Genç this week visited three of BBVA’s units in South America, in his capacity as BBVA Group CEO. His first stop was Bogotá, where he held a series of meetings with the teams of  BBVA in Colombia, which is led by Country Manager, Óscar Cabrera. The CEO stressed the franchise’s continued market share growth, with a 2 percent increase in seven years, to 10.25 percent. “A bank is only as good as its people. Congratulations on your achievements,” he said.

Market analysts have given a positive rating to BBVA’s results, presented on February 1. Their reports primarily focus on the strength of revenues and the positive performance of banking activity in Spain and the U.S.