The habit of “making a bizum” to settle accounts among friends takes the definitive step that was missing: landing in local commerce and large chains. ABANCA has become one of the first financial entities to deploy Bizum Paythe digital wallet (wallet) that allows you to pay in person by bringing your mobile phone close to the point of sale (POS) terminal, either with a card or with a direct charge to the account.
According to industry data, In-person payment with Bizum is available for 60% of users in Spainwhich represents almost 20 million people. The deployment in payment terminals is also incontestable: the acceptance network already covers more than 1.6 million businesses and establishments, covering around 75% of banking terminals in Spain, in addition to the dataphones of more than 25 large commercial chains, with different degrees of deployment (from those that already have it in all of their establishments to those that are advancing their implementation more gradually).
This function is reaching companies of all sizes, from small businesses and local establishments to large businesses in all sectors. A national deployment in which the involvement of ABANCA is key, since the entity has announced that the 100% of businesses with their smart POS already accept this functionalityplacing the bank at the forefront of a banking innovation considered “pioneer in Europe”.
Jorge Martinezgeneral director of Payment Methods and Consumer Affairs of the financial institution, points out that “ABANCA is among the most prominent Spanish financial entities in technological development, innovation and digital transformation in payment methods, with a clearly customer-oriented approach. With the incorporation of Bizum Pay, we strengthen our offer of digital payment products and solutions adapted to the needs of individuals, businesses and companies. These solutions stand out for their innovation, simplicity, agility and security.”
How does Bizum Pay work? The banking alternative to Big Tech
Unlike international wallets, Bizum Pay provides a differentiating element: the possibility of making in-person purchases with a direct charge to the bank account, maintaining the immediacy and security of instant transfers. However, the system also allows you to pay with a credit or debit card.
To use this tool, the clients of ABANCA and its digital brand B100 They only need to configure the digital wallet from the mobile banking app. After accessing the Bizum menu, the customer downloads Bizum Pay from the iOS or Android stores, activates it, adds their cards and sets Bizum Pay as the default payment application. Once configured, simply bring your mobile phone closer to the POS to complete the transaction.
Smart shops and POS terminals: immediate implementation without changing equipment
In the case of ABANCA, the integration has been carried out automatically throughout its network of smart POS, so businesses with this type of devices “can now charge with this new mobile payment method, without having to replace their current devices or request their activation from the entity.”
Progressively, establishments are identifying their points of sale with the Bizum brand.
The initial reception confirms the fit of the measure: During the last weeks of the first phase of deployment, the average operations reached 3 weekly payments on average per active user. This demonstrates Bizum’s ability to gradually become the everyday payment solution preferred by citizens.
Collaboration with the banking sector and technical infrastructure
The success of Bizum, with more than 32 million users and an average in 2025 of more than 3.4 million daily instant transfersis based on the collaborative model of Spanish banking.
The CEO of Bizum, Angel Nigorrahas highlighted this collaboration with the sector, pointing out that “the deployment of in-person payment with Bizum is possible thanks to the coordinated commitment of financial entities, which are bringing this new functionality to millions of people and businesses in Spain.”
In this regard, he indicates that “their role is crucial, not only because of the extension of the network of terminals that accept Bizum, but also because of the integration of the service into their applications and because of the trust they offer to their clients. Once again, we must emphasize that Bizum and its growth is the result of the collaboration and effort of the entire Spanish banking sector.”
Thus, ABANCA and Bizum consolidate an in-person mobile payment alternative that connects digital innovation and street-level commerce. On a technical level, this service has the support of Redsys as a technology provider and approved processor together with Cecabank. Immediate transfers are processed through the National Electronic Clearing System (SNCE), operated by Iberpay and supervised by the Bank of Spain.