People on the Move

By getting involved, BBVA will help identify barriers, share best practices, and co-create financial instruments that accelerate improvements in energy efficiency and the decarbonization of the European building stock and industry.

Front cover photo: © European Union, 2025. Source: EC – Audiovisual Service.(CC BY 4.0)

BBVA is launching a new version of its app in Spain, with a unique native code that is scalable and exportable to all countries where the bank operates. This technological overhaul, which  includes an ambitious artificial intelligence (AI) integration, marks a turning point in digital banking. It represents a decisive commitment to personalization, with a radically enhanced user experience. The new app multiplies the benefits of being a customer: direct access to cards and Bizum to make fast, simple payments, personalized savings plans and a financial coach to help manage finances, among other new developments.

BBVA Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB) has delivered a record-breaking first quarter 2025, achieving a top position in the Corporates Yankee Euro Capital Market.

Garanti BBVA Asset Management has succeeded in building an investment fund topping 600 billion TL in the year to date, thanks to a consistently strong performance and the trust and support of its investors.

In recent weeks, the role of the financial conglomerate has drawn renewed attention.  Some observers argue that several European banks are seeking to expand into insurance, hoping to qualify as conglomerates and benefit from more favorable capital requirements under the so-called Danish compromise.  But does this classification always serve a bank’s interests?  The answer hinges on the bank’s business model.  For some, the fit is natural; for others, it’s like slipping into shoes that are simply too big: awkward and ill-suited to their needs.

The bank has expanded its partnership with the tech giant from 3,300 to 11,000 ChatGPT Enterprise licences, as part of its plan to extend generative AI capabilities across the entire organisation. Employees report that automating routine tasks with this tool allows them to save an average of nearly three hours of work per week, which they can then dedicate to strategic tasks. More than 80% of licensed users use it daily. BBVA offers training, has created a community to share best practices, and encourages internal innovation through idea ‘hackathons’.

The cleantech ecosystem is advancing at different rates. While technologies such as solar and wind power are already consolidated, innovations such as carbon capture and green hydrogen still have a long way to go. Reaching the maturity of these solutions is key to  sustainability and requires strategic investment to accelerate global decarbonization.

The current geopolitical context, combined with the urgent need to finance the green and digital transitions in Europe, makes it increasingly necessary to unlock the full potential of the EU’s currently fragmented capital markets. The goal is to make them more efficient and better equipped to compete with more developed markets elsewhere.

The digital revolution is transforming every economic sector—and financeis no exception. Cryptoassets, tokenization, and blockchain-basedtechnologies are accelerating an inevitable evolution. In this context,traditional banks face a historic opportunity: to lead this transformation bycombining their experience, credibility, and global reach with the agility andinnovation of the crypto ecosystem. The future isn’t about choosingbetween the old and the new—it’s about merging both worlds into aseamless experience.

From May 5 to 8, BBVA will organize the first FinAI Summit, featuring talks, panel discussions and master classes, in an event designed to be the key forum on how AI could reshape financial services and products, and how this could impact society at large. Speakers will include international experts such as Kay Firth-Butterfield, previously head of artificial intelligence at the World Economic Forum. The public can attend online by registering on the FinAI Summit website.

You can register for the event at this link

BBVA posted solid results in the first three months of the year. Yet another quarter, BBVA stood out for its distinctive profitability, with an ROTE over 20 percent, and its ability to create value for its shareholders, with a 14 percent yoy increase in the tangible book value per share plus dividends. The Group earned €2.7 billion, up 23 percent in current euros (+46 percent in constant euros), driven by greater activity. The loan portfolio grew by 15 percent in constant euros, with a strong performance of Spain and Mexico. In these two countries, lending for companies and businesses increased by 8.5 and 25 percent, respectively. These earnings strengthened even further BBVA’s capital position, with a CET1 ratio over 13 percent.

Garanti BBVA reported its earnings for the first quarter of 2025. The bank earned TL 25.40 billion in net income, with total assets reaching TL 3.50 trillion, and cash and non-cash loans totaling TL 2.60 trillion. Customer deposits continued to be the main source of funding, accounting for 73 percent of all assets. The deposit base rose by 21.4 percent to TL 2.55 billion. Furthermore, Garanti BBVA achieved a return on average equity (ROAE) of 30.5 percent, and a return on average assets (ROAA) of 3.2 percent. Meanwhile, the bank maintained its strong capital position, with a capital adequacy ratio of 16.2 percent.*

*Not including the forbearance introduced by BRSA

As climate change bites, a host of firms have started to develop ‘cleantech’ to cut emissions and help people cope with its effects. Decarbonizing the economy and fostering innovation are fast becoming sources of growth and new industry.  With a focus on sustainability and shifting to greener energy, BBVA invests in such ventures, supports firms with tailored finance, and offers advice through specialist funds.

BBVA's Turkish unit recently updated the design of its digital banking app, Garanti BBVA Mobile, to offer its customers a more personalized, user-friendly experience and a range of new smart features.

BBVA has successfully renewed the Tier IV Gold certification for its Data Processing Center (DPC) in Tres Cantos (Madrid), the highest recognition awarded by the Uptime Institute for the management and running of these cutting-edge technology complexes. This achievement has been made possible thanks to the implementation of more than 30 energy-saving measures in recent years.

The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Climate Change and Environmental Sciences goes to US scientist Camille Parmesan for her pioneering studies showing that “wild species shift their geographical ranges in response to climate change,” moving toward the poles and higher elevations. This groundbreaking discovery laid “the foundations of climate change ecology,” according to the committee.

At a time of transformation and growth in global financial markets, BBVA CIB reaffirms its commitment to becoming the key strategic partner for institutional clients. With a specialized approach and a long-term vision, the bank aims to anticipate industry needs and offer solutions tailored to an ever-evolving environment. In this interview, Juan Blasco, Head of Institutional Business at BBVA CIB, explains how the bank is addressing this challenge.

BBVA's Turkish unit updates the smart assistant on its mobile app, Ugi, using cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence (AI) based on large language models. Ugi now offers the bank’s customers a more natural experience with dynamic, and hyperpersonalized solutions.

BBVA has provided £15m in venture debt to Plum, a British personal finance app. The deal will help Plum expand and scale, and reflects BBVA’s growing commitment to the UK as Europe's leading hub for entrepreneurship and venture capital.

The collaboration among banks, investors, innovators, and the public sector will be, as Santiago Muguruza, global head of BBVA Spark, stated, "decisive for scaling up technological projects essential for the energy transition."  During his speech at the Energy Tech Summit 2025 held in Bilbao, he further emphasized that this type of cooperation "is key to closing the innovation gap in Europe."

The BBVA Group paid a record-breaking €8.46 billion in own taxes in 2024 in the countries where it operates, 10 percent more than the previous year, according to the Total Tax Contribution Report. In addition to this figure, BBVA collected €8.98 billion in taxes from third parties for a total of €17.44 billion–the Group’s highest tax contribution thus far. This means that for every €100 of income generated by BBVA in 2024, the bank contributed €49 to public coffers in taxes¹.

¹Ratio between BBVA’s financial contribution to public coffers in 2024 (€17.44 billion) and the bank’s gross margin for the year (€35.48 billion). BBVA’s tax contribution includes both its own taxes (corporate tax, VAT and specific levies on the financial sector, among others), as well as taxes collected by the BBVA Group on behalf of third parties, which are paid as a result of its presence and activity with employees, customers and suppliers in over 25 countries.

Guardrails are mechanisms to guide the responsible development of AI so that it does not become a technological, social, or security threat. Classical and generative AI require different types of guardrails, as the latter’s ability to engage directly with end users has introduced a whole new set of challenges for developers—such as the mass production of fake news or the creation of new methods for perpetrating cybercrime.

The first time neuroscientist Nicole Vignola held a brain in her hands, she thought that within it lay an entire person’s life. This moment sparked a cascade of questions: What makes us who we are? How much do our beliefs shape our lives? Can we rewire our brains to change our habits and improve our well-being?

BBVA is the main sponsor of a new edition of what is the largest European conference on innovation and financing for the energy transition, which will run from April 9 to 10 at the Euskalduna Palace in Bilbao. This year’s event will notably feature a debate on the key resources needed to achieve a more sustainable energy model.

On Thursday, April 10, BBVA will pay a supplementary dividend of €0.41 per share. Added to the interim dividend paid in October, the total payout for 2024 rises to €0.70 per share, the bank’s highest since 2007. BBVA has also announced a €993 million share buyback.  Through dividends and the buyback, the bank will return a combined €5.03 billion to shareholders this year, half of its 2024 profit.

BBVA and Técnicas Reunidas have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the aim of promoting the development of initiatives and projects linked to the energy transition and the decarbonization of the economy.