Spain Cards and Payments: Opportunities and Risks to 2029

The ‘Spain Cards and Payments: Opportunities and Risks to 2029' report provides detailed analysis of market trends in the Spanish cards and payments industry. It provides values and volumes for a number of key performance indicators in the industry, including cash, card, credit transfer, direct debits, and cheques during the review-period (2020-24e).

The report also analyzes various payment card markets operating in the industry and provides detailed information on the number of cards in circulation, transaction values and volumes during the review-period and over the forecast-period (2025f-29f). It also offers information on the country's competitive landscape, including market shares of issuers and schemes.

The report brings together the analyst’s research, modeling, and analysis expertise to allow banks and card issuers to identify segment dynamics and competitive advantages. The report also covers detailed regulatory policies and recent changes in regulatory structure.

The ‘Spain Cards and Payments: Opportunities and Risks to 2029' report provides top-level market analysis, information and insights into the Spanish cards and payments industry, including:

• Current and forecast values for each market in the Spanish cards and payments industry, including debit, credit and charge cards.
• Detailed insights into payment instruments including cash, card, credit transfer, direct debits, and cheques. It also, includes an overview of the country's key alternative payment instruments.
• Ecommerce market analysis.
• Analysis of various market drivers and regulations governing the Spanish cards and payments industry.
• Detailed analysis of strategies adopted by banks and other institutions to market debit, credit and charge cards.
• Comprehensive analysis of consumer attitudes and buying preferences for cards.
• The competitive landscape of the Spanish cards and payments industry.

Key Highlights

• Spanish consumers regard contactless card payments as the most practical payment method, a trend further strengthened by their use in public transportation. In September 2024, the City of Madrid declared that card payments would be accepted on intercity buses by June 2025. Similarly, Madrid Metro is currently piloting a tap-to-pay contactless payment system in Spain. This innovative system allows commuters to conveniently pay for their tickets using their payment cards or cell phones, eliminating the need for traditional transit cards. By 2026, the tap-to-pay ticket system is expected to be fully operational across all 302 metro stations, contributing to the widespread adoption of contactless technology in the country.
• In Spain, cash remains a prevalent and trusted payment method, largely due to long-standing familiarity among Spaniards. To provide easy access to cash, banks are offering innovative and secure ATM cash withdrawal services. For instance, in March 2024, Santander Bank launched the ‘Operate at the ATM with your mobile’ feature, offering cash withdrawal at ATMs using cell phones without the need for a card or PIN. To use this feature, customers need to set up transactions on the Santander app. They then choose a pre-saved transaction at the ATM, scan a QR code on the ATM screen with their phone, and confirm with a biometric signature through Santander Key. Customers can withdraw a maximum of EUR1,000 ($1,081.27) per day using the service.
• Payment companies are increasingly focusing on offering payment solutions that offer convenience, speed, and security. In July 2024, the Spanish pharmacy Juan Vindel Farmacia launched touch-free purchasing; allowing customers to scan items and pay without direct contact. This system enables a faster checkout by automatically detecting products and allows more convenient inventory management and checkout processes in retail. Payments with QR codes are also gaining traction in Spain, where payment companies PayPal and MONEI Pay both offer this option. In addition to the rising adoption of portable and cost-effective payment methods, contactless technology and QR codes are expected to witness substantial growth across diverse settings, including retail establishments, pubs, restaurants, and public transportation.

Scope

• Card market size in terms of number of cards, value and volume of transactions in Spain along with detailed card segmentation of debit, credit and charge cards available in the country.
• Market sizing and analysis of major payment instruments including cash, card, credit transfer, direct debits, and cheques.
• Payment market trends and growth for both historical and forecast period
• Competitor analysis with detailed insights into leading card issuers and schemes.
• Comprehensive analysis of consumer attitudes and buying preferences for cards.
• A detailed snapshot of country's key alternative payment brands.

Reasons to Buy

• Make strategic business decisions, using top-level historic and forecast market data, related to the Spanish cards and payments industry and each market within it.
• Understand the key market trends and growth opportunities in the Spanish cards and payments industry.
• Assess the competitive dynamics in the Spanish cards and payments industry.
• Gain insights into marketing strategies used for various card types in Spain.
• Gain insights into key regulations governing the Spanish cards and payments industry.