BBVA CEO Carlos Torres Vila opened the seminar in Santander organized by the International Menéndez Pelayo University and the Spanish Association of Economic News Journalists (APIE), which this year puts the spotlight on blockchain. BBVA’s CEO lauded digital transformation as a way to improve people's lives. Additionally, he released the news that in May, BBVA’s digital sales reached 40% of the total, and that the Group will begin testing the negotiation and contracting of syndicated loans using blockchain. Finally, he stated that technological development fosters long-term economic progress and social well-being, which requires collaboration between public and private institutions.

BBVA has agreed to sell a property development loan portfolio worth €1 billion (gross) in a deal that virtually puts the finishing touches to its strategy of reducing its real-estate risk in Spain in half the time initially expected. BBVA estimates that including all the operations announced since December 2016 it has cut its gross exposure to the sector by €20 billion.

BBVA Group unit Garanti Bank in conjunction with the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) has issued a six-year social bond worth $75 million dollars to help finance women entrepreneurs in Turkey.

We are witnessing the birth of a new generation of consumers. The latest generations – “millennials” and “centennials” – and those who are no longer so young but have quickly migrated to the new technologies, are setting the course for the economy in general and for banking in particular. Their new patterns of behavior and consumption create needs that change as quickly as the digital environment. It is essential that banks understand these needs so that they can help their customers make better financial decisions.

Interest rate, risk diversification and fixed-income assets are some of the financial concepts that most people have to deal with at one point or other. Do we really know what we are talking about? According to the Financial Skills Survey carried out by the Bank of Spain and the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV), 46 percent of Spaniards rate their financial knowledge as “low” or “very low”. Only 8 percent say it is “high”.

Every time Mario Draghi speaks at the news conference after the European Central Bank’s (ECB) monthly monetary policy meeting, the markets hold their breath. And after he finishes, they react. In the wake of the 2008 crisis, the expectations created by the bank’s message have taken on added relevance. BBVA Research is aware of the importance of being able to gauge if the ECB’s message adequately reflects its policy and has used big data techniques to this end.

Over the past several years, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) has gradually increased the federal funds interest rates both as a response to favorable economic conditions and in order to curb inflation. In a rising interest rate environment such as this, lending is affected as banks set their own interest rates according to the prime rate, which is mostly determined by the aforementioned federal funds rate.

The second installment of BBVA Compass popular Sign In & Win Sweepstakes which awards customers for using their BBVA Compass Mobile Banking App, is now underway.

The sweepstakes, which started in June and wraps January 2, 2019, boasts a total of $35,000 in customer prizes, which includes one $10,000 grand prize, eight $1,000 monthly prizes and 34 weekly prizes of $500. According to BBVA Compass Director of Digital Engagement, ATM & Branch Distribution, Cody Sparks, in its first year, the sweepstakes proved to be a key driver of increased mobile adoption.

Can Big Tech take the place of banks in the financial services sector? According to Francisco González in his op-ed article in today’s edition of Financial Times, while the Big Tech’s threat is widely known, digitization opportunities for some banking institutions are less evident. BBVA Group Executive Chairman is confident that “we have what it takes to redesign banking and to bring about the next stage of this industry’s evolution.”

Jaime Sáenz de Tejada is Spain’s best CFO and the best in Europe’s banking industry, according to the Extel Survey. Group BBVA has achieved excellent results in different categories in the 2018 edition of this prestigious international survey.