Bizum: The Complete Guide to Mobile Payments in Spain
Everything you need to know about Bizum in Spain: how to activate it, send money, pay online, and the limits to be aware of. The complete guide.
Bizum is the most widely used mobile payment service in Spain: in a matter of seconds, it lets you send or receive money directly between phone numbers, with no fees and without leaving your banking app. For Algerians living in Spain, it's an everyday tool — whether splitting a restaurant bill, paying rent, or contributing to a collection. This guide explains how Bizum works, how to activate it, and everything you need to know to use it with confidence.
Table of contents
- What is Bizum?
- Prerequisites: what you need before activating Bizum
- How to activate Bizum
- Sending and receiving money
- Paying at merchants
- Limits, caps and security
- Compatible banks in Spain
What is Bizum?
Bizum is a mobile payment service created in 2016 by a consortium of Spanish banks. It allows you to send and receive money instantly between individuals, directly from your banking app, using only a phone number — with no need to enter a bank account number or IBAN.
Unlike PayPal or Revolut, Bizum is not a standalone app: it is integrated into your bank's app. You don't need to create a separate account or top up a wallet. The service is free for individuals and works in real time, 24/7.
Since its launch, Bizum now has more than 29.5 million active users in Spain, making it the country's dominant mobile payment method.
Prerequisites: what you need before activating Bizum
To activate Bizum, three conditions are required:
1. A bank account at a compatible Spanish bank This is the only essential requirement. Bizum is directly linked to your bank account — it cannot exist without it. Your bank must be one of the institutions that have integrated the service (more than 30 banks in Spain, see the full list in Section 7).
2. A mobile phone number Bizum identifies users by their phone number. Each number can only be linked to one Bizum account.
3. Your bank's mobile app Bizum is activated from your bank's app, not from a website or a standalone Bizum application. Make sure you have the app installed and active access to your online banking.
How to activate Bizum
Bizum activation is done entirely from your bank's mobile app. The process varies slightly from one bank to another, but the steps are always the same:
- Open your bank's app and log in to your account.
- Look for Bizum in the main menu — usually in the "Transfers", "Payments" section or directly in a dedicated "Bizum" tab.
- Accept the terms and conditions of Bizum.
- Enter your mobile phone number — this is the number that will be linked to your Bizum account.
- Validate by SMS — you will receive a confirmation code to enter in the app.
- Choose the bank account you want to link to Bizum (if you have multiple accounts).
Once these steps are complete, Bizum is active and ready to use.
Important: If your bank does not appear in the list of compatible banks (see Section 7), it does not yet offer Bizum.
Sending and receiving money
Once Bizum is activated, sending money to someone takes just a few seconds:
- Open your bank's app and go to Bizum.
- Select "Send".
- Enter the recipient's phone number or choose them from your contacts.
- Enter the amount and add an optional message.
- Confirm the operation — the money is transferred immediately.
Receiving money requires no action: as soon as someone sends you a Bizum transfer, the amount is credited instantly to your account.
You can also send a payment request: you specify the amount and the recipient's number, who then receives a notification and can accept or decline.
Paying at merchants
Bizum is not limited to transfers between individuals — it is also accepted as a payment method at many online and physical merchants in Spain.
Online: When making a purchase on a site that accepts Bizum, select "Bizum" as your payment method at checkout. You will be prompted to enter your phone number, then receive a notification in your banking app to confirm the payment.
In store: Some physical merchants offer a Bizum QR code at the till. Simply scan it from your bank's app to pay directly.
Limits, caps and security
Bizum imposes limits per operation and per period, set nationally by Bizum. Some banks apply lower limits.
Limits between individuals:
| Operation | Limit |
|---|---|
| Minimum per transaction | €0.50 |
| Maximum per transaction (send/receive) | €1,000 |
| Maximum sent per day | €2,000 |
| Maximum sent per month | €5,000 |
| Number of receipts per month | 60 operations |
These limits do not apply to merchant payments or donations.
Security: Bizum uses your bank's security system. Each operation is confirmed through your bank's app (PIN, fingerprint or Face ID as applicable). Bizum does not store your banking details — your bank handles the transaction.
If you receive a payment by mistake, you can return it directly from the app. In case of a dispute, your bank handles the claim.
Compatible banks in Spain
Bizum is available at more than 30 banking institutions in Spain. Here are the main banks offering the service:
CaixaBank, Santander, BBVA, Sabadell, Unicaja Banco, Kutxabank, Caja Rural, IberCaja, Cajamar, Abanca, Bankinter, Laboral Kutxa, EVO Banco, ING, Openbank, imagin, Deutsche Bank, Banco Mediolanum, Banca March, Orange Bank, Targobank, Eurocaja Rural, Caixa d'Enginyers.
To view the full official list and check whether your bank is compatible, visit bizum.com/es/bancos.