BBVA will create 200 jobs in two years, with the launch of two technology centers in Bilbao. These centers will have specialized profiles such as computer, telecommunications, systems and industrial engineers, as well as mathematicians.

BBVA has joined the MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium (MCSC) in order to accelerate the development of large-scale solutions to fight climate change. BBVA is currently the only bank in the world in this alliance, which includes 15 leading companies from different sectors, working together with MIT academic research teams. The members of the consortium will share processes and strategies for environmental innovation.

BBVA is the first Spanish bank to launch on the wholesale markets, with a euro-denominated senior non-preferred bond of 1 billion euros. The issue has received a high level of demand of two billion euros - double the target, with 125 orders.

With November 2021’s data, BBVA customers using its digital financial health tools now exceed 10.6 million. This is the equivalent of a 54% increase in relation to the almost 7 million customers that used these features a year ago, according to the data recently made public by the bank.

Technology will continue to redouble the capacity of digital businesses in 2022 and will bring opportunities to the world to liberalise data, mitigate climate change, look after people's health, advance education and even create parallel universes.

The European Investment Bank Group (EIB and EIF) and BBVA are once again joining forces to support the working capital and liquidity needs of Spanish small and medium-sized enterprises affected by the COVID19 crisis, as well as to cover their investment difficulties. To this end, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF) will guarantee a junior tranche of a €120 million synthetic securitization of an SME loan portfolio originated by BBVA, enabling the Basque bank to provide more than €960 million in financing to support the investment of small and medium-sized enterprises.

As part of its efforts in sustainable finance, Garanti BBVA is to implement the Green Finance Specialist training course for some of its employees, in cooperation with the Green for Growth Fund (GGF) Technical Support Facility and the Renewable Energy Academy (RENAC). The course aims to increase the technical expertise of about 30 Garanti BBVA employees who work in different regions as loan officers, loan specialists and other related areas.

BBVA distributed a total of 11.5 million new debit and credit cards made from recycled materials among its clients in 2021, as part of a progressive process that began in 2020. The bank is already offering recycled cards in most of the countries across its footprint.

Digitization in the banking sector is increasingly taking on different dimensions. Virtual assistants and chatbots have come to life with the support of artificial intelligence technologies. BBVA’s Turkish unit was a pioneer in the country with the launching of Ugi in 2016 and Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger bots a few years later.

The Spanish entrepreneurial ecosystem has grown and matured this year, with the fintech sector leading the way and a considerable boost from investors. While Madrid and Barcelona continue to dominate the national landscape, the Basque Country, Valencia and Malaga have increasingly prominent roles to play, and regions like the Canary Islands and Galicia are working hard to make a name for themselves. A tour of these areas shows the wealth of opportunities for innovation and the diversity of sectors.

Rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has raised BBVA’s rating to A from A-. The outlook is negative, mirroring the negative outlook of Spain's sovereign rating. S&P underscores BBVA’s strength and geographic diversification, the profitability of its retail banking franchise, its cautious risk management and the strength of its capital, among other factors.

Gerald Holton, who was unable to attend the awards ceremony in person, received the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Humanities and Social Sciences from the President of the BBVA Foundation, Carlos Torres Vila, at his home in Cambridge (Massachusetts). "This award recognizes Holton's great contribution to the understanding of the cultural dimension of science," said Torres Vila.

BBVA’s Swiss franchise has expanded its cryptocurrency custody and trading service, which now allows for ether operations. This cryptocurrency developed by Ethereum is the second most used cryptocurrency after bitcoin, and completes BBVA Switzerland’s pioneering offer.

Eleanor Roosevelt, Hansa Mehta, Minerva Bernardino and Marie-Hélène Lefaucheux are names to remember on December 10th, the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The most translated text in the world proclaims, in essence, that all human beings, without distinction, are equal.

BBVA’s Turkish franchise has integrated the country's code standards into all of its mobile channels, ATMs and POS devices.

BBVA continues to emphasize its digital transformation as an essential factor in achieving its ambitious goals, presented at Investor Day. In this interview, Global Head of Client Solutions David Puente highlights how being a pioneer in digitization gives BBVA an advantage to continue growing in areas such as payments and insurance, create alliances through ‘open banking’ and, in particular, to take a new strategic leap: evolve from providing services to proactive recommendations to help customers improve their financial health and transition to a decarbonized economy.

As part of its goal to make life easier for its customers, BBVA’s Turkish franchise is partnering with BlindLook- a social enterprise that develops accessible technologies for the visually impaired.

On the occasion of his visit to Peru and Colombia, BBVA’s Chairman took the opportunity to learn firsthand about the impact of the BBVA Microfinance Foundation’s efforts and to announce the winners of the 'Transformando Realidades (Transforming Realities)' scholarships, which help children of vulnerable microentrepreneurs pursue a college degree. "Meeting these entrepreneurs face to face is a life lesson," said Carlos Torres Vila, who recalled the Microfinance Foundation’s pledge to originate €7 billion in productive microcredits between 2021 and 2024 to support vulnerable entrepreneurs.

Following Glasgow’s 26th Climate Change Conference (COP26), BBVA’s Turkish unit and the Institute of International Finance (IIF) recently held a workshop to discuss the prospects of climate financing and sustainability efforts in developing nations.

BBVA is one of 28 banks around the world that has joined the global commitment to promote financial inclusion and the financial health of its customers. Under the umbrella of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Banking, the aim of this benchmark index is for a group of banks to join forces to accelerate a collective effort for these issues.

On Wednesday, BBVA’s CEO participated in a discussion on technology and confidence in the banking sector at the Global Banking Summit organized by Financial Times. Onur Genç explained that BBVA wants to be the bank its customers trust and help them to improve their financial health.

Garanti BBVA was named ‘Turkey's Best SME Bank’ by international publication Global Finance. The evaluation was based on data provided by banks in this business segment, with an in-depth analysis of available products and services, and inputs from industry professionals, managers, technology experts and independent research.

As part of the commitment shared by BBVA and El Celler de Can Roca, both organizations seek to inspire chefs throughout the world to work together to address the biodiversity challenge. As a result, organizations interested in joining this movement can form part of the ‘Seeds for the Future’ community, agreeing to abide by the following principles:

To carry out the project, BBVA and the Roca brothers ('Seeds for the future') relied on the work and experience of some of the world’s most important organizations specialized in biodiversity conservation.

Throughout the project, BBVA and the Roca brothers turned to local seed banks to retrieve extinct and forgotten crop varieties. In an effort to reclaim these foods, the Roca brothers designed a special menu to raise awareness.

Both organizations have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen the mobilization of financial resources in Latin America and the Caribbean and to increase cooperation to boost economic recovery in the post-COVID era.

Taking a leading role in the sector with its innovative solutions in digital banking, Garanti BBVA has implemented the Document Upload function for their corporate customers where they can add their financial data from Corporate Internet Banking.

Garanti BBVA and Hepsiburada, two representatives of the banking and e-commerce sector in Turkey, are collaborating to strengthen the power of Turkey's female entrepreneurs. An alliance that marks the first e-commerce platform that supports female entrepreneurship with projects such as Garanti BBVA and The Technology Power program for Entrepreneurial Women, which has been leading efforts to empower female entrepreneurs for 15 years.

At the 12th Financial Meeting organized today by Expansión and KPMG, BBVA’s CEO said that over the past year the bank has made a series of relevant strategic decisions, such as the sale of its U.S. subsidiary, the largest share buyback in Europe and the takeover bid for a 50.15 percent stake in Turkey’s Garanti BBVA. They all show that “we are very committed to shareholders’ profitability,” he added. Onur Genç also underlined the 2024 objectives that BBVA presented at its Investor Day: “Our goals are very ambitious and we are committed to achieving them.”

BBVA’s Center for Financial Education and Capability has announced the five financial education research projects that will receive funding through its grant program, BBVA EduFin Research Grants. A total of €50,000 will be distributed among the winning projects, whose research will take place in Spain, Mexico, Colombia and Argentina.

As of January 2021, 12 percent¹  of BBVA’s new financing is connected to sustainability, according to the figures released on Investor Day, which was held last week. At this event, BBVA’s Global Head of Sustainability, Javier Rodríguez Soler, also announced that BBVA expects to channel over €35 billion in sustainable financing in 2021. This represents more than 70 percent growth from 2020. “Decarbonization, in particular, and sustainability, in general, represent the greatest transformation in the history of humankind,” Rodríguez Soler stressed. This phenomenon represents an “huge business opportunity” for BBVA and its shareholders.

Thirty-six banks from 20 countries participated in Garanti BBVA's new syndicated loan.

As part of its commitment to Turkey’s green transformation, Garanti BBVA Leasing and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) are offering $25 million in loans to eligible companies looking to invest in sustainability.

Founded by Garanti BBVA in 2011 to support the production of knowledge, culture, and arts, SALT's 10th year anniversary activities continue with Ardışık (The Sequential) video screenings to be held at Madrid’s Museo Reina Sofía on 19-20 November. The two-day program, which will start with the participation of artists Fatma Belkıs and Onur Gökmen and the presentation of SALT Research and Programs Director Meriç Öner, will feature the works of six artists from Turkey.

The BBVA Investor Day allowed investors to learn firsthand the details and objectives of the bank’s strategy in Turkey. Garanti BBVA CEO Recep Bastug provided information on the country's economic outlook and potential, including Garanti BBVA's performance, competitive advantages and strategies.

During his talk at Investor Day on Thursday, BBVA's Country Manager in Spain, Peio Belausteguigoitia, said that the priority in Spain is profitable growth, which will be based on increasing its customer base. In this regard, he announced that the bank aims to double the annual rate of customer acquisition and expects to attract 3.6 million new customers in the next three years.

BBVA is holding its Investor Day this Thursday, when it will present its plan for the 2021-2024 period. It will focus on turning significant social and environmental challenges - like the technological disruption or decarbonization of the economy - into opportunities for profitable growth while having a positive impact on society. BBVA has released an ambitious set of objectives in terms of efficiency, profitability and tangible book value plus dividends, which it aims to reach in 2024. It also set a customer acquisition objective and reaffirmed its commitment to channel €200 billion of sustainable finance through 2025. Additionally, BBVA has increased its payout to 40-50 percent of its annual consolidated ordinary profit.

In its annual report, Intrama includes the success stories of more than 30 Spanish companies with the best practices in Diversity and Inclusion, of which BBVA is one. The global human resources consulting firm highlights the financial institution's strategic alignment of diversity policies, the communication of its projects and the training provided to its staff in this area.

“Despite there being multiple initiatives, frameworks, standards and guidance tools, it is urgent to build a global system to measure the real impacts of businesses on society and the environment,” said BBVA Global Head of Responsible Business Antoni Ballabriga, speaking at an event organized by UNEP FI (UN Environment Program – Finance Initiative).

BBVA will hold its Investor Day on Thursday, November 18th. The event will allow investors to learn firsthand about  the details and objectives of the bank’s strategy.

Greenspark’s technological solutions allow large companies and SMEs to offset their environmental impact by integrating into their websites services to plant trees for each order received, or clean up ocean plastic for each new subscriber to their newsletter. BBVA Anthemis Venture Partnership leads the first round of financing for this British startup.

A team of university students from Mexico developed an app in just three days to meet customers' needs in terms of finances, entertainment, shopping and transport. Thanks to their business acumen and the use of artificial intelligence and QR code payments, they were able to win the 2021 BBVA Hackathon, which brought together 752 participants from different countries virtually.

For the second consecutive year, BBVA has obtained the best score in the European banking category and a second place at global level in the latest Dow Jones Sustainability Index, released on Friday, November 12, 2021. This is the benchmark index for sustainability worldwide, which has singled out BBVA, among more than 200 financial institutions, for its ESG ('Environmental, Social and Governance') performance. 24 banks have been included in the index.

BBVA has advised Holcim, global leader of building solutions based in Switzerland, on the structuring and syndication of its main bank financing, as well as on how to link the financing to environmental, health and safety indicators. BBVA acted as global coordinator and sustainability coordinator in this new syndicated revolving credit facility, the first sustainable transaction that the bank has closed in Switzerland.

BBVA Chairman Carlos Torres Vila, met this Thursday at the bank's headquarters in Madrid with the President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Mauricio Claver-Carone. This meeting is part of a series of working meetings that representatives of BBVA and the BBVA Microfinance Foundation will hold with members of the IDB. Sustainability was one of the issues on the agenda, in particular, support for the decarbonization of emerging countries, and especially in Latin America, as well as financial inclusion and the promotion of foreign investment in the region.

BBVA’s Turkish franchise is a leader in sustainable finance in its sector and plays an important role in the country’s development. In response to an invitation from the Ministry of the Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Garanti BBVA Vice President Ebru Dildar Edin analyzed the current status of sustainability in the world and the importance of the financial sector to support the transition toward a more sustainable economy.

The BBVA Microfinance Foundation (FMBBVA) organized ‘Connected for digital opportunities’ - an event which H.M. The Queen presided over. BBVA Chairman Carlos Torres Vila, Bank of Spain Deputy Governor Margarita Delgado and the Director General of the BBVA Microfinance Foundation, Javier M. Flores, all participated in the event. The debate focused on boosting economic recovery from a more innovative and inclusive perspective through technology.

This week, the BBVA Chairman participated in the COP26 in Glasgow, where he called for concrete commitments and credible actions from everyone, public and private sector, to move toward the decarbonization of the planet. Carlos Torres Vila pointed out the need to “increase investment” in new non-polluting technologies to fight climate change. For this to happen, private capital, and specifically banks, “play a critical role” in helping and engaging with clients in their transition towards a more sustainable future with finance and advice.

Garanti BBVA has obtained 1.8 million Turkish lira of annual savings thanks to a significant reduction in the energy used by its data center. This decrease was possible thanks to the implementation of innovative technologies that help to reduce its carbon footprint.

Banking plays a fundamental role as a financier of all productive sectors.  The influence that can be exerted on the behavior of banking customers and their environmental performance, through such financing, is critical to achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

-BBVA announces decarbonization targets for new economic sectors by 2030

BBVA has set intermediate targets to decarbonize its portfolio in four CO2-intensive industries. Following its commitment in March to stop financing coal-related companies by 2030 in developed countries and by 2040 for the rest, the bank now announces that between 2020 and 2030 it will reduce the carbon intensity in its loan portfolio by 52 percent in electricity generation; 46% in automobile manufacturing; 23% in steel production; and 17% in cement production. These sectors, together with coal, account for 60 percent of global CO2 emissions¹. BBVA will focus on accompanying its clients with financing, advice and innovation solutions as part of a global decarbonization effort.

- BBVA's decarbonization targets: What do they mean and what is their scope?

Emerging economies should join the journey toward decarbonization. Their role in this challenge is a critical one, stressed Javier Rodríguez Soler, the Global Head of Sustainability at BBVA while speaking at the COP Talks. His panel focused on the impact of sustainable investments in emerging economies in the framework of COP26 in Glasgow.

After 15 years of supporting female entrepreneurship and the participation of women in the business world, Garanti BBVA has once again collaborated with  KAGİDER at the Meeting of Women Entrepreneurs.

Decarbonizing business activity is essential to drive a new industrial revolution that meets climate change objectives. Companies need to leverage technological innovation to place sustainability at the center of their growth strategy, and financial institutions are key players in accompanying them in this transition. Javier Rodríguez Soler, Head of Global Sustainability at BBVA, explained some of the key issues in this regard at the latest Money20/20 meeting held in Las Vegas (USA).

The CEO Climate Alliance of the World Economic Forum (WEF), of which Carlos Torres Vila is a member in his capacity as BBVA Chairman, is urging world leaders to take decisive climate action. In an open letter addressed to world leaders, the Alliance calls on world leaders to use the unique opportunity afforded by COP26 to “do more together” and create a better world for “people today and for generations to come”.

Türkiye Garanti Bankası A.Ş., has just reported its financial statements as at 30 September 2021. Based on the consolidated financials, the Bank’s net income in the first 9 months of the year was recorded as TL 9.071,591k. Realized Assets were reported of TL 630,848,420,000and the Bank’s contribution to the economy via cash and non-cash loans was TL 499,840,175k. Focusing on customer happiness, deposits continued to be the main funding source; 68% of assets are funded via deposits. The deposit base reached TL 428,204,119k, with 20% growth in the year’s first 3 quarters. Maintaing the strong capital stance, the bank’s capital adequacy ratio was realized at 15.65% (Except for temporary measures taken by BRSA)(. The Bank delivered an ROAE (Return on Average Equity) of 19.2%** and an ROAA (Return on Average Assets) of 2.2% ( In calculations of average return on assets and average return on capital, one-off items are not included in annualization of net profit.).

BBVA and 500 Global have signed an agreement for 500 Global to develop an Intelligence Platform that would support BBVA’s ability to identify new startups, technologies and emerging trends with the potential to impact the future of the most innovative industries, and by extension, the finance sector. The new BBVA-500 Intelligence Platform will attempt to promote new collaborations and pilot projects between startups and the bank.

The BBVA Group is debuting fully digital retail banking in Italy, with a unique value proposition and customer experience. BBVA is entering the Italian market with free digital banking; one of the most secure cards in the world - as there are no printed numbers on the card, and a dynamic CVV - unmatched in Italy; and financing products at competitive prices.

BBVA comes first in the ranking of the most influential brands in the financial technology conversation on social networks, created by Onalytica. This company, specialized in connecting brands with influencer communities, highlights BBVA for being the first company of reference in the creation and generation of fintech thought leadership content on.

The popularity of electric bicycles has grown steadily in recent years. Not only do they make our lives easier, but they are a comfortable, portable, environmentally friendly means of transportation and, most importantly, they offer an alternative to traditional systems.

The bank was also recognized as the best investment bank of the year. Ebru Dildar Edin, Executive Vice President of Garanti BBVA, reaffirmed the bank's commitment to “continue to maintain its sustainability and investment objectives and to set more ambitious goals each year.”

According to the BBVA Chairman the upcoming Glasgow Climate Summit (COP26) is the most important one since Paris in 2015. For this reason, on Friday he called for “commitments and credible actions” by governments and the private sector to curb emissions by 45 percent by 2030. Carlos Torres Vila pointed out that “faced with the decarbonization challenge, emerging economies should be among those leading the race:” And, for this to be possible, developed countries "should support emerging countries in their journey to decarbonization with more financing" he said speaking at the annual meeting of the Institute for International Finance (IIF).

‘Seeds for the future’ was created to encourage people to reflect on the importance of preserving biodiversity and to warn of natural resource depletion. Through a documentary that will be released in November, it will inspire consumers to adopt responsible eating habits based on the principles of proximity, quality and buying local, protecting both our health and our cultural memory. The initiative aims to fulfill the mission of BBVA and El Celler de Can Roca’s ‘Sustainable Gastronomy’ project, which seeks to guide people and provide them with tools in their transition toward a more sustainable life.

BBVA has become the first financial institution to join the SME Climate Hub, a global initiative launched to help small and medium-sized companies to adopt sustainable measures as part of their activities to achieve the most ambitious target set in the Paris Agreement: Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Through this alliance, BBVA, recognizing the pivotal role that small and medium-sized companies play in decarbonizing the planet, will support and finance these businesses in their eco-transition process.

Garanti BBVA strives for sustainable development and the participation of women in economic activity. Now, the bank is celebrating the 15th anniversary of its comprehensive and continuous approach to supporting women entrepreneurs.

Through an advisory service, BBVA’s Turkish franchise aims to improve its customers’ finances, facilitating budget management and helping them meet their savings goals with personalized solutions.

In 2021, three of the six Nobel Prizes - in Economic Sciences, Medicine and Physics - were presented to researchers who had previously received a Frontiers of Knowledge Award. These awards, which the BBVA Foundation has presented for the past 13 years, have established themselves as a prelude to the Nobel Prize. This is due to the ability of Frontiers of Knowledge juries to preempt the Swedish Academy. The Frontiers of Knowledge Awards have recognized 20 individuals who months or years later went on to receive a Nobel Prize.

Garanti BBVA, in collaboration with the TURMEPA association, has launched the Mavi Nefes project. An initiative aimed at raising awareness of waste disposal in the Sea of Marmara and cleaning up the waters so as to prevent marine pollution.

Some of the countries in which, BBVA Open Innovation, such as Peru, Spain and Colombia, will participate in BBVA Hackathon 2021, which is organized by BBVA Mexico. The goal is to support the digital transformation of financial services through challenges posed by business units, as well as a global  ecosystem of entrepreneurs and developers.

Garanti BBVA Factoring has been chosen as the best export factoring company in the world for the fifth consecutive time with 100 points by Factors Chain International (FCI).

BBVA's Chairman called on the entrepreneurial community to “continue to be brave and invest in green technologies” during his participation in the South Summit, where he stressed the need to continue supporting innovation, especially in the field of digitization and sustainability. “We need to decarbonize in 50 years, and that is going to require a lot of investment and innovation in technologies that do not exist today,” insisted the BBVA Chairman at this conference dedicated to startups and whose opening ceremony was presided over by His Majesty the King.

BBVA is an overall digital experience leader five year in a row according to ‘The Forrester Digital Experience Review™: European Mobile Banking Apps, Q3 2021’. The report identifies leaders in mobile banking functionality and user experience (UX) and shares best practices that digital and customer experience (CX) professionals can learn from. BBVA is the only Spanish bank that is an overall leader in mobile banking digital experience.

BBVA, together with over 600 businesses from across the globe, signs an open letter to G20 leaders demanding more mobilization and ambition in the “the path to sustainable economic growth and shared prosperity.” The letter also urges them to go all in to at least halve emissions of G20 member countries by 2030. They also recognize the “great opportunities to be harnessed through a carefully managed transition.”

Following the European Central Bank (ECB) decision to lift its recommendation limiting shareholders’ distributions, BBVA’s Board of Directors has resolved the payment of a cash interim dividend of €0.08 (gross) per share on account of the 2021 dividend, to be paid on 12 October 2021. The net dividend per share would stand at €0.0648. The bank will make this payment to its shareholders on October 12, 2021.

BBVA has acted as global and sustainability coordinator and advisor for COFCO International, the overseas agriculture business platform of China-based COFCO Corporation, in a new syndicated sustainable facility. For a total of USD 700 million and a tenor of 3 years, this financing is the second sustainability-linked loan (SLL) arranged by COFCO International, the sector’s leading sustainability performer and one of the most active commodity traders in the sustainable loan market. Apart from the coordinator roles, BBVA has also been appointed facility agent among a syndicate of seven international and Chinese banks.

BBVA is one of the 30 founding institutions of the Principles for Responsible Banking. In the last two years, it has reinforced its commitment to them through multiple actions, accessions and alliances with supranational organizations. In addition, and after incorporating sustainability as one of its strategic priorities in 2020, the bank recently created a global area of sustainability to elevate this matter to the highest executive level of the organization.

The BBVA Group, which already invests in artificial intelligence technologies and contributes to its general ecosystem in Turkey, is now joining the educational and awareness campaign “10million.AI,” a global social responsibility project by the Swiss company Global AI Hub.

The Latin American Federation of Banks (Felaban) organized its 2nd regulatory meeting in Madrid. The employers' association, which gathers the main banking associations in the region, participated in a working meeting with BBVA executives where they analyzed the outlook for Latin America post-pandemic.

Banking sector commitment to UN Principles of Responsible Banking gains firm and steady traction: two years after launch 240 institutions have already become signatories. We take a look at this project of United Nations Environment Program Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) and the progress achieved since it launched two years ago.

BBVA CEO Onur Genç said Tuesday at an annual conference organized by Bank of America that he envisions “a larger BBVA” in three to five years, “without compromising profitability and capital discipline,” with a broader customer base. The bank will give more details about the future strategy at its next Investor Day, to be held November 18.

With increasing frequency, Governments and financial and non-financial organizations are relying on the so-called sustainable finance instruments to fund projects intended to create a positive impact on the environment - such as the development of eco-friendly energy sources - and promote social and inclusive growth. In Spain, sustainable finance mobilized a total of €33.03 billion in 2020, according to data from the Spanish Observatory for Sustainable Financing (OFISO).

BBVA Research keeps making progress in its project to measure the economy in real time and high definition, adding an index to measure investment and its components in its operating countries to its range of Big Data indicators.

Tolkido founder Can Yıldız took part in Garanti BBVA’s Film Gibi Girişimler program through an interview series dedicated to discussing the future with new entrepreneurs and promoting social innovation projects.

BBVA Asset Management signed the Principles for Responsible Investment supported by the United Nations (known as UN PRI), intended to reflect reflecting the increasing relevance of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues to investment practices. The signing of these principles by BBVA Asset Management is global, which is why BBVA's asset managers in Europe, Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Argentina have also committed to these principles.

BBVA Mexico has launched BBVA Invest, an innovative and personalized digital advice experience that offers customers and clients access to investment fund portfolios based on their investment goals and risk tolerance assessment.

After debuting its loan offering for eco-friendly cars for individuals, Garanti BBVA announces Turkey’s first green car loan for businesses.

In 2019 BBVA Corporate & Investment Banking took a decision to boost its equities business for institutional and corporate clients. Since then the bank has been working on two vectors: on one hand, developing its equity investment products factory; and on the other, revamping its digital solutions for product distribution. In this line, and to further advance in its growth plan, the BBVA global equities business opens two trading and sales hubs in Hong Kong and in New York.

Bitcoin and ether are the best known cryptocurrencies, but there are thousands on the market with different purposes and functions. Cardano, binance coin or USD coin are some of those that are gaining more and more relevance.

The BBVA unit thus becomes the first and only Turkish bank to join the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), which was launched in April by the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP-FI).

BBVA's Swiss subsidiary, which specializes in private banking, is launching New Gen, a new 100% digital investment account that can be accessed with an initial deposit of $10,000 or its equivalent in euros or Swiss francs.

We cannot confidently predict the future, but we can build it. Future studies or research in futurology are one of the best tools to guide our personal projects and wishes, as well as to design the strategy for the coming years of our company or startup and therefore succeed with innovation.

This September 1, BBVA has returned to the markets with a two-year floating rate senior preferred bond (FRN) issue. Investors’ interest in the bond issue was extraordinary, with demand reaching €4.75 billion, which allowed the bank to reduce the price to 15 basis points plus 3-month Euribor, which is 20 bps lower than the initial price talk (IPT). The social nature of the bond allowed the issue to close below the reasonable price assigned to the bond. “The market’s response has far exceeded expectations,” commented BBVA’s wholesale funding team in charge of the operation.

The pandemic has been one of the greatest health crises in recorded history. Thanks to rapid advances in science and technology, the light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer. Major vaccination efforts are currently underway to immunize the world's population. According to data from health authorities compiled by Our World in Data, 39.7% of the world's population has received at least one dose, while, as of today, almost 2.1 billion people across the globe are fully vaccinated.

Valora Coches, the BBVA Group tool for customers and non-customers that helps you decide whether to change your vehicle or not, continues to grow. From its late February 2020 launch in Spain until July 2021 it registered almost two million hits and more than 900,000 vehicle searches. In March 2021, the tool reached its highest figures with 100,000 hits and 50,000 car searches.

Global Finance magazine has announced the winners for the 2021 Best Digital Bank Awards. BBVA has become the only Spanish bank recognized by the publication in two categories: Best digital bank for SMEs, and best corporate mobile banking app in Western Europe.

BBVA has been recognized as the world's global leader in sustaining communities at the Global Finance Awards 2021, which recognize global and regional leaders in different categories. The publication has especially valued “the bank's support for entrepreneurs via the Microfinance Foundation.” BBVA, the only Spanish bank to receive recognition as a “global leader”, has also won five other regional awards in different categories related to sustainability.

BBVA's state-of-the-art data processing centers (DPCs) hold the most prestigious certifications in the world in terms of design, construction and operational sustainability. This ensures that the Group's operations are maintained in the face of possible contingencies, offering the best service to its customers under virtually any circumstances.

The Turkish men’s wheelchair basketball team, the 12 Brave Hearts, will take part in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, sponsored by Garanti BBVA. The players, who have already accumulated some important victories in European and World Championships, including Gold in 2017 and Bronze in 2019 at the European Championships, will once again represent Turkey at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, as they did in London 2012 and Rio 2016. This year, the Turkish team will compete in Group A and will play against South Korea on August 26. In addition to the Korean team, the group is made up of teams from Canada, Spain, Colombia and Japan, the host country.

In less than a year, BBVA has issued one million Aqua cards in Spain. This groundbreaking system, which eliminates data from the plastic and uses dynamic CVV, is expanding rapidly in Latin American subsidiaries. Mexico, Peru and Colombia already have the first features.

The coronavirus crisis has made us more aware of how vulnerable we are to unforeseen events. As a result, in the new social context the insurance industry and insurtechs have been driven to strengthen their customer focus, digitisation, health insurance and microinsurance, with innovation at the fore.

BBVA and Windar Renovables, a leading global manufacturer of towers for onshore and offshore wind farms and foundations for offshore wind farms, have signed a sustainable invoice factoring line worth a total €50 million. The proceeds of the agreement will be used to finance a contract related to the Baltic Eagle offshore wind project, recently awarded to the company. This sustainable financing scheme, Windar Renovables’ first ever, will allow the company to, through the non-recourse sale of its invoices, muster the financial resources it needs to honor its contract obligations.

The Payment Systems Department (GÖSAŞ) at Garanti BBVA is developing innovative solutions to meet the new needs of both businesses and SMEs while streamlining their digitization process.

Trading listed products is becoming more and more popular. In recent years, various apps and digital platforms have democratized this activity to make it available to practically any user. The sale of listed assets is no longer the realm of qualified brokers and investors, but for the general public.

BBVA endorsed the Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Market's (TSVCM) new report which defines a roadmap for implementing a voluntary market that guarantees the quality and integrity of carbon credits. BBVA is the only Spanish bank that is a member of this working group.

The BBVA in Spain app is celebrating its 10th anniversary as a key element in the bank’s commitment to lead the digitalization of banking in the country. Since 2011, the app has adapted its functionalities to the times and needs of its customers, at first by allowing them to operate remotely with ease and total security, and over the years with the deployment of a wide range of personalized tools to help them make decisions about their personal finances.

Of 8,300 known animal species, 8% are extinct and 22% are endangered. These United Nations figures place the planet on the brink of what some scientists now call "the sixth mass extinction." The impact of human action on ecosystems is causing many species to disappear, with irreversible harm to biodiversity and the environment.

Subscribe to our weekly sustainability newsletter!

On July 30 BBVA reported a €1.29 billion profit in the 2Q of 2021, excluding non-recurring impacts. This figure is 35 percent higher than consensus estimates by analysts, who view the strong set of results and forecast improvements, particularly for CoR in main business areas, as upbeat.

Green digital finance is geared to finance initiatives with a sustainable development goal. Its aim is to speed up the reassignment of capital to carbon-neutral assets and release new sources of climate and socially just finance.

In response to the devastating forest fires that have spread throughout several regions of Turkey, Garanti BBVA announced a donation of one million saplings to the TEMA Foundation, an NGO dedicated to the fight against erosion and desertification through reforestation and the protection of natural habitats.

Turkey recently held its women's wheelchair basketball championship which took place in Hatay this year. As part of its social commitment, Garanti BBVA has been supporting this sport´s men's and women's teams since 2013.

The Banker, a magazine part of the Financial Times group, recognized BBVA at its annual awards as the Best Bank in Europe for Innovation in Digital Banking. The magazine gave this award to BBVA for being the first bank to allow its business customers to measure their carbon footprint, helping customers make the best decisions to improve their financial health and the bitcoin trading and custody service launched in Switzerland for private banking customers.

During the results presentation for the first half of 2021 BBVA CEO Onur Genç stated that: "We have begun to take the necessary steps for our up to 10 percent share buyback." The bank plans to “start the programs in the fourth quarter,” subject to market conditions and regulatory approvals.

BBVA has once again stood out in the latest stress test carried out by the European Banking Authority (EBA). In the adverse scenario BBVA’s fully-loaded CET1 capital ratio at the end of the assessment period (2021-2023) would be reduced on  303 basis points (bps), an impact considerably lower than the 50 European banks average analyzed on the stress test (485 bps). BBVA is the bank with the second lowest impact on capital among comparable European peers. In the baseline scenario, BBVA would generate 128 bps of capital, to reach a fully-loaded CET1 capital ratio of 13 percent in 2023.

BBVA gives a new boost to its strategy, promoting sustainability to the highest level of the organization. Javier Rodríguez Soler, current country manager in the U.S., will head the new area, which aims to make BBVA the leading bank for clients in sustainability solutions. Separately, Jaime Sáenz de Tejada (CFO) and Rafael Salinas (CRO) are exchanging responsibilities.

Türkiye Garanti Bankası A.Ş., announced its financial statements dated 30 June 2021. Based on the consolidated financials, the Bank’s net income in the first 6 months of the year was recorded as TL 5 billion 437 million 136 thousand. Asset size realized at TL 607 billion 787 million 125 thousand and the Bank’s contribution to the economy through cash and non-cash loans was TL 473 billion 179 million 816 thousand.

BBVA Asset Management has announced its commitment to support reducing net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by the year 2050, in line with global efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C. To this end, the asset manager is committed to including investments that are in line with this goal in its portfolios.

BBVA has formalized its first sustainable-linked deal in Belgium with Cofinimmo. The transaction consisted of increasing an existing revolving credit facility to €25 million and linking it to a fundamental environmental indicator for its sector.

World Finance magazine awarded Garanti BBVA as the best retail bank in Turkey for the seventh consecutive year in its 2021 awards. The publication also found BBVA's Turkish subsidiary to be the best bank in Europe, an award it has won for the fourth year.

Thanks to a solution developed by the Society for Worldwide Interbank and Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), an online purchase payment from another country or service charges provided by an SME to an international client can be made faster. BBVA is the only Spanish bank to participate in the launch of SWIFT Go and has successfully carried out its first pilot testing of the system as well.

BBVA, which first invested in the fintech in 2018, participated in a new capital increase, part of which was used to fund the acquisition of payments specialist Contis. The new funding round will allow Solarisbank, which recently launched operations in Spain, France and Italy to expedite growth in the embedded finance market.

Embedded finance allows you to pay for a purchase online without entering bank details or instantly take out a consumer loan on digital platforms outside banks, among many other options. This Bank-as-a-Service model, which allows the integration of financial services via APIs, moved $22.5 billion in 2020, a figure that will increase tenfold in the next four years.