Spain’s homegrown payment app Bizum is preparing for its biggest expansion yet, and it could reshape how millions of people across the Costa Blanca pay for everyday purchases.
Already widely used in Spain for sending money between friends and family, Bizum is now moving into physical shops and restaurants using contactless NFC technology.
As a result, customers will soon be able to pay directly from their bank accounts without relying on traditional card networks such as Visa or Mastercard.
For many expats and residents, Bizum has already become part of daily life. Now, however, the platform is trying to establish itself as a genuine alternative to traditional card payments.
What changes from 18 May?
From 18 May, participating banks will begin introducing Bizum Pay for in-store purchases.
Instead of routing payments through international card companies, the money will move directly between bank accounts using instant transfers.
Consequently, the system reduces many of the fees linked to traditional card processing and lowers dependence on international payment infrastructure.
The first banks expected to roll out the service include:
- CaixaBank
- Banco Sabadell
- Bankinter
Meanwhile, additional Spanish banks are expected to join before the end of 2026.
Why businesses are paying attention
For shops, bars and restaurants across the Costa Blanca, the biggest attraction is likely to be lower transaction costs.
Traditional card payments can cost businesses between 0.2% and 2% in processing fees, especially when platforms such as Stripe, PayPal or Adyen are involved.
Bizum promises several advantages:
- Instant payments
- Lower transaction fees
- Direct bank-to-bank transfers
- Faster settlement times
Therefore, for many smaller businesses operating on tight margins, particularly in hospitality, the system could become increasingly attractive.
Bizum already dominates Spain
What began as a simple banking cooperation project has evolved into one of Spain’s biggest financial success stories.
Today, Bizum has:
- More than 30 million users
- Around 111,000 connected businesses
- Support from roughly 40 Spanish banks
- Around 3.4 million transfers every day
In practical terms, this means most adult bank customers in Spain already have access to the platform.
Could it spread across Europe?
Spain is also attempting to expand the Bizum model internationally through the European Payments Alliance.
In the long term, the objective is to allow users to make instant payments across Europe as easily as they currently send money to friends within Spain.
Eventually, that could mean paying in countries such as Portugal or Italy using the same system already common across the Costa Blanca.
Visa and Mastercard are not disappearing
Despite the growing excitement around Bizum, experts do not expect traditional card providers to disappear anytime soon.
Visa and Mastercard still dominate areas such as:
- Credit cards
- Reward programmes
- Cashback offers
- Instalment payments
- Purchase protection
Unlike credit cards, Bizum currently works using money already available in the customer’s account.
As a result, many consumers may still prefer traditional cards for larger purchases or delayed payment options.
Even so, the launch of Bizum Pay represents one of the biggest changes to Spanish retail banking in years.
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