BBVA has introduced in-store payments with Bizum Pay through its mobile banking app, allowing Android users to pay at physical shops without a debit or credit card. The service uses near-field communication (NFC): customers select Bizum Pay or use it through their configured wallet, then hold an NFC-capable phone close to a compatible payment terminal. Both the customer’s bank and the merchant’s terminal must support the service.
For BBVA customers, the feature is currently limited to Android. Their account must be linked to the phone number registered with Bizum, and they must activate the payment option within the bank’s app. Bizum Pay’s wider environment can support Android and iOS, depending on the participating bank. The Android restriction applies to BBVA’s implementation, not necessarily to the service across all banks.
How to Activate Bizum Pay in BBVA
To allow the service, users log in to the BBVA app on an Android device, select the account associated with their Bizum number and open the Bizum section. They then choose “Pago en comercios” (Pay in shops), followed by “Pago en comercio físico” (Pay in physical stores), open settings and activate the feature. The request is confirmed using the app’s standard security method.
After setup, customers can select Bizum Pay through BBVA Pay or configure the wallet as their preferred payment method. The payment goes directly through the customer’s bank account, rather than as a conventional card transaction routed through Visa or Mastercard. The account-based transfer can reach the merchant’s account within seconds.
Paying in Shops: What to Expect
For a purchase, customers can open the BBVA app and bring their phone close to the terminal, or use the configured wallet for a quicker checkout. A shop’s acceptance of contactless cards does not by itself mean it accepts Bizum Pay: its payment terminal must have the service enabled. If it does not, customers need another payment method. Retailers are not generally required to accept Bizum Pay.
The wider rollout is reported to cover approximately 1.7 million establishments, with nearly 20 million enabled users cited in sector coverage. Spanish reports name Inditex, IKEA, Carrefour, Eroski, Alcampo, Burger King and Lidl among participating retail groups. Mercadona has been described as starting with a pilot in Soria before a wider rollout. These figures refer to the broader Bizum Pay network, not specifically to BBVA customers or stores compatible with BBVA’s implementation.
In The Future: Wider Compatibility Expected
BBVA’s in-app integration is separate from the standalone Bizum Pay application. The physical-store rollout reportedly began on 18 May 2026, followed by the standalone app’s launch on 14 July. Banco Sabadell supports the independent app, while BBVA customers currently use the bank’s own application. Integrations across financial institutions have continued progressively, with later additions reported for banks including ING and Cajamar. BBVA customers are expected to be able to register their phone numbers in the common Bizum Pay app by the end of 2026.
BBVA is among the Spanish banks enabling in-store Bizum Pay, alongside CaixaBank, Banco Sabadell, Unicaja, Caja Rural, Bankinter, Abanca and Ibercaja. The service extends Bizum beyond person-to-person transfers and online purchases to contactless payments in physical shops. For BBVA customers, its current reach depends on an Android device, activation through the bank and a merchant terminal configured to accept Bizum Pay.
