CaixaBank was awarded as the Best Domestic Private Bank in Spain 2023 at the Global Private Banking Awards, which the British magazine Euromoney has been presenting to the world's best private banking and asset management companies for 20 years. This marks the fifth time that CaixaBank Private Banking has received the top domestic recognition at the Euromoney awards. In addition, BPI was selected as the Best Domestic Private Bank in Portugal 2023.

At the award presentation ceremony, held last night in London, the CaixaBank Group was one of the highlights of the evening, receiving four awards, which position it as a benchmark in private banking in the Iberian Peninsula. In addition to the two main domestic awards mentioned, CaixaBank was also chosen as Best Private Bank for Discretionary Portfolio Management in Spain 2023 and Best Private Bank for Digital in Spain 2023.

Víctor Allende, head of Private Banking and ‘Pensar en el Futuro’ at CaixaBank, highlights that “this award recognises the excellence of our private banking business model, which is focused on service quality, constant growth and the use of new technologies in order to offer the best customer experience. The value proposition of CaixaBank Private Banking offers different service models to adapt to the needs and preferences of each customer, with fully transparent fees, the best advice and an omnichannel service to advise our customers at all times. This is how we want move forward and position ourselves as a benchmark company in the process of transforming Private Banking in our country”.

Leader in discretionary management and pioneer in independent advice

In recent years, CaixaBank Private Banking has solidified its position as a pioneer in providing wealth management advice through its leadership in discretionary management in Spain and its support for independent advice.

The award for 'Best Private Bank for Discretional Portfolio Management in Spain 2023' recognises the leadership of CaixaBank Private Banking in this area, with the bank having €24.67 billion under management at the close of 2022, 7.5% more than in 2021. In 2022, this service was reinforced with the creation of Smart Rentas, a delegated investment service whose portfolio is managed in accordance with the personal needs and circumstances of customers, and that pays out income annually.

CaixaBank was the first bank in Spain to offer independent advice with the launch more than four years ago of CaixaBank Wealth, a value proposition for customers with assets in excess of €4 million. This service is offered at 13 exclusive centres. This commitment was reinforced in 2022 with the new Independent Advisory service and the creation of OpenWealth.

Independent Advisory is a service for customers with a potential net worth of one to four million euros. It offers a full range of products and services for an explicit advisory fee, guaranteeing full transparency for the investor. This service has specialised advisers in Private Banking centres.

As for OpenWealth, also launched in 2022, this is a pioneering independent advisory service in Spain, intended for customers who are worth over €50 million. The goal is to offer Multifamily Office services, regardless of where the customer's assets are deposited. 

Commitment to innovation and digitisation

The 'Best Private Bank for Digital in Spain 2023' award showcases the strategy of constant innovation in the use of new technologies to improve digital communications and how we interact with our customers. This recognition is the result of a search for excellence in our business model so that we can give customers the best experience through the use of digital tools that allow us to adapt to their needs at all times.

CaixaBank Private Banking

The value proposition of CaixaBank Private Banking offers different service models to adapt to each customers' preferences, from those who seek a comprehensive advisory service, to those who rely on their own initiative to manage their wealth through a platform that offers global investment services in securities, funds and other management products.

CaixaBank's Private Banking model has a staff of over 1,000 specialised professionals and 73 dedicated centres distributed all over the country. At the close of 2022, the division managed assets worth over €116.6 billion.

As a result of its non-stop efforts, the bank was named 'Best Performing Private Bank in Europe 2022’ by The Banker magazine (Financial Times Group); and in the area of innovation and digitisation, it was voted 'Most Innovative Private Bank in Western Europe 2022' by Global Finance; and 'Best Private Bank for Big Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence in Europe 2022' and 'Best Private Bank in Digital Marketing and Communication in Europe 2022' by PWM magazine (Financial Times Group).

CaixaBank, Spain’s leading bank by clients, will be attending and showcasing its financing solutions at the Second Home Expo 2023 in Utrecht (Netherlands), a leading conference fair in the Benelux region for the second hand real estate market, that will take place from the 17th until the 19th March 2023 in the Jaarbeurs Utrecht HAL1. 

In Spain, more than 95,000 property purchase agreement transactions were carried out by non-residents in 2022, according to data from the College of Registrars. This represents 14,6% of the national total. When it comes to the Netherlands market, the latest data, corresponding to 2022, shows that Dutch citizens bought around 4,300 housing units in Spain, which represent an increase of 52% compared to the previous year.

According to Google Trends, searches to “buy a property in Spain” from the Netherlands gained a lot of popularity in 2022 after having decreased during the pandemic. In the first quarter of 2023, the search is still very popular, with figures slightly above those before the pandemic (but well below the very high figures registered in 2022), suggesting that the interest by Dutch citizens to buy a property in Spain may normalize after the uptick in 2022.

At the Second Home Expo 2023, CaixaBank will be represented by Laura Hitomi Yamaguchi, Manager of HolaBank, CaixaBank’s business unit serving non-residents in Spain with interests in this country, and Delia Luisa Rodenhorst, Manager for International Mortgage brokers at HolaBank, who will be exhibitting at STAND #148.

Commenting on the attendance to the fair, Laura Hitomi, Manager of HolaBank, says: “Spain has always been an attractive place for international buyers, but the process of getting a bank acount and applying for a mortgage, however, can seem daunting when you are not a permanent resident in the country. We were the first ones to identify and resolve this problem, and created the MortgageNow service, enabling European citizens to open a bank account and apply for a mortgage 100% digitally and without the need to translate any document from their home country language.”

MortgageNow, an online mortgage application for non-residents in Spain

Among the services showcased at the Fair, there is award-winning CaixaBank’s MortgageNow, an online tool that allows international buyers of property in Spain to apply for a mortgage and upload the related documents from their country, in a fully secure way and with a feasibility response in 48 hours, and thus dramatically speeding up the process to getting the credit approval.  

The platform features a list of documentation required in Spain and in the customer's home country language, and enables the registration of the documentation required to carry out the mortgage review, without the need to translate it into Spanish. It also features a dedicated space for real-estate brokers who can manage all their applications in one place, guaranteeing a prompt feasibility response.

The service, intended for European citizens with interests or property in Spain, enables them to complete the sign-up process in English through the bank's fully secured website and in six easy steps. With a video identification system and the signing of the contract carried out through SMS, new customers can have an HolaBank account up and running within 48 hours and can also sign up to CaixaBankNow online banking, which enables them to access all the benefits of the specific program for the international community digitally, as well as its financial and non-financial services. As part of the service, customers can receive transfers from abroad, make transfers within Spain, pay bills by direct debit, translate documents, and gain assistance with moving house or relocating. Once the online process has been completed, the new clients will only have to confirm their identity in a physical branch within 3 months.

With this service and the Digital Onboarding platform, CaixaBank was the first Spanish bank to enable non-residents in Spain to open an account and apply for a mortgage in the country with a 100% online solution.

Pioneer products to cater for all the customers needs

CaixaBank will also present its Digital onboarding platform that allows non-residents in Spain to sign up with the bank in a digital way, from any device and anywhere. The service, intended for Western European citizens with interests or property in Spain, enables them to complete the sign-up process in English through the bank's fully secured website and in six easy steps. With a video identification system and the signing of the contract carried out through SMS, new customers can have an HolaBank account within 48 hours and can sign up to CaixaBankNow online banking, where they can access all the benefits of the specific program for the international community digitally, as well as its financial and non-financial services.

Other products and services are the HolaBank account, with multiple advantages such as a visa credit card, online banking, pay in checks in euros drawn from a bank in Spain or transfers in euros to accounts in the EU, and the HolaBank Club, a service with non-financial solutions, such as relocation services, legal assistance, booking services, home emergencies services, handyman service or telepharmacy, among many others.

HolaBank, CaixaBank´s specialized program for international customers

HolaBank is CaixaBank’s specialised programme catering for international customers who spend long periods of time in Spain, or wish to settle in the country. It offers comprehensive suite of financial services, including a diverse portfolio of financial and non-financial products and services, designed to meet the specific needs of CaixaBank's international customers.

CaixaBank has 675,000 customers from the main tourist markets around the world, mainly from Europe, USA and Canada, who spend long periods in Spain. To offer them the best service, HolaBank has 500 multilingual advisers specialising in international customers, 260 branches for the international community close at hand, and the CaixaBankNow app, the bank’s digital service available in more than 20 languages.

About CaixaBank

CaixaBank is the leading financial group in Spain with an asset volume of more than €590 billion and one of the leading banks in Europe. CaixaBank also has a strong presence in Portugal, where it controls 100% of BPI.  

The Group has more than 20 million customers, the largest branch and ATM network in Spain and Portugal, and it is the leader in digital banking with more than 11 million digital clients. 

CaixaBank has opened its first branch in Italy, located in Milan, as it continues to strengthen its commitment to its international banking and wholesale corporate and institutional business (CIB).  This new branch means CaixaBank now has branches in a total of seven countries worldwide: in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Poland and Morocco.

The move is part of the bank’s 2022-2024 Strategic Plan, which includes a target of doubling the International Banking division’s loan portfolio from the €7.5 billion it closed in 2021, to €15 billion in 2024.

The new banking license will enable CaixaBank’s team in Milan to manage customers locally, and offer a wide range of financial and banking services to large corporations and multinationals in Italy. These services include current accounts, deposits, short and long-term financing, working capital solutions, and foreign trade, among other products and services.

CaixaBank has been operating in Milan since 2000 through a representative office that liaises between Italian companies and multinationals with a presence in the country and CaixaBank’s wholesale CIB team in Spain. Following collaboration between the CIB and International Banking areas, CaixaBank reached a loan portfolio of €3.7 billion in Italy by the end of 2022.

During the branch’s opening ceremony, CaixaBank’s Chief Executive Officer of, Gonzalo Gortazar, stated that “this new banking license is yet another example of the bank’s commitment to international growth through its international banking network. Our branches and representative offices aim not only to accompany our customers wherever they go, but also to expand our global corporate customer base by offering competitive and innovative products, which notably include sustainable financing operations to help companies make the green transition.”

As part of CaixaBank’s 2022-2024 Strategic Plan, the bank has set itself the goal of becoming a benchmark in sustainability in Europe. In Italy, CaixaBank has engaged in sustainable financing operations worth €1.7 billion in the last three years.  

This new branch opening is a further step in the process of converting representative offices in Europe to bank-licensed branches, following on from the UK in 2016, Germany in 2017 and France in 2018.

Commitment to Italy

CaixaBank expects that the branch, run by Country Manager Claudina Farré, will be profitable in its first 24 months, in line with other CaixaBank representative offices that obtained a banking license in recent years.

The office has grown to a team of 13 Spanish and Italian professionals and it plans to expand to 20 people in three years’ time in the following roles: Operations (Accounting and Reporting), Retail, Specialists (factoring, reverse factoring and trade finance), Financial Institutions (FI), Compliance, Legal and Risk, and a new field, Project Finance.

Gortazar highlighted that “Italy is a highly attractive market for CaixaBank, given that it is the third largest economy in the Eurozone, one of the main global economies and one of the main industrial centres in Europe, boasting a market for large corporates that is 1.4 times the size of the Spanish market”.

“With the new branch” he added, “we want to want to strengthen our commitment to Italy and the expansion of our wholesale CIB business, where we are already a major pan-European player”.

CaixaBank's international presence

CaixaBank’s international network offers support to the bank's corporate customers that operate abroad, as well as to corporations located in the 72 countries in which CaixaBank operates. Through more than 200 professionals, nearly 30 international offices and agreements with more than 1,700 correspondent banks, his network accounts for 82% of global GDP and 94% of Spain's international trade.

CaixaBank’s international network currently has branches in seven countries —Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Poland , Portugal and Morocco— as well as 17 representative offices on all five continents: Istanbul (Turkey), Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong (China), Singapore, Dubai (United Arab Emirates), New Delhi (India), Cairo (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Johannesburg (South Africa), New York (the USA), Santiago de Chile (Chile), Bogotá (Colombia), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Lima (Peru), Sidney (Australia) and Toronto (Canada).

CaixaBank also owns Portugal's Banco BPI, the fourth largest financial institution operating in Portugal in terms of assets. It has two Spanish Desk teams in Austria's Erste Bank (Vienna) and Mexico's Inbursa (Mexico City), to serve CaixaBank business customers in these markets.

CaixaBank's International Banking is the only international network of a Spanish bank certified by AENOR.   

Versione italiana disponibile nel PDF allegato.

These preferred shares are perpetual and eligible for early redemption as of March 2029, thereby broadening the refinancing profile of CaixaBank's AT1 instruments.

The success of this issue is evidenced by the demand in excess of €2.5 billion (more than 3.3 times oversubscribed), resulting in a price reduction of 37.5 bps from the initial level offered when the transaction was launched to a final coupon of 8.25%.

It also highlights the quality of the trading book. More than 170 institutional investors participated in the transaction, demonstrating the extent of CaixaBank's investor base.

Improved capital adequacy ratios and capital structure

This new issue reinforces CaixaBank's excellent capital adequacy ratios to 15.1% for Tier 1 and 18.0% for Total Capital while maintaining flexibility in the management of the AT1 issue buffer and helping to maintain its solid leverage ratio of 5.7%, above the 3.0% requirement, and increasing the anti-crisis buffer (MREL) to 27.1%, thereby bolstering the support of the most senior creditors.

Standard & Poor’s has assigned a BB rating to this issuance. The underwriters are Barclays, CaixaBank, Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE, J.P. Morgan SE and UBS Investment Bank.

The European Investment Fund (EIF), CaixaBank and MicroBank are stepping up their support for Spanish small and medium enterprises and mid-caps by providing them with guarantees worth €637 million through the first InvestEU portfolio guarantee agreement in Spain. CaixaBank and MicroBank will use these guarantees to mobilise more than €1 billion in financing that will help firms to reach their full potential.

€150 million guarantee for CaixaBank

CaixaBank will benefit from an EIF guarantee of up to €150 million to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized businesses and mid-caps in Spain. This will enable it to mobilise up to around €214 million in loans to these businesses. The credit line is linked to specific financing products provided by the InvestEU Fund covering two areas: Innovation and Digitalisation and Sustainability. The financial institution will begin offering these products in the second half of the year.

The InvestEU Innovation and Digitalisation Guarantee is worth up to €100 million. It will allow CaixaBank to continue support Spanish firms working in research and development and enhance their access to finance. This initiative will also help drive the digital transformation among companies of this size.

The InvestEU Sustainability guarantee is worth up to €50 million. With this guarantee, the EIF and CaixaBank will step up its support for the green transition and help beneficiaries make green, inclusive and environmentally friendly investments.

€487 million guarantee for MicroBank

MicroBank, the social bank of CaixaBank created 15 years ago, has signed a guarantee agreement with the EIF worth up to €487.5 million. It includes four InvestEU Fund products: Microfinance, Social Entrepreneurship, SME Competitiveness and Sustainability. The agreement will enable MicroBank to provide financing to microenterprises, entrepreneurs and social enterprises in these areas on favourable terms, and mobilise up to €800 million.

The InvestEU Microfinance and Social Entrepreneurship Guarantee totals up to €200 million. It means MicroBank will be able to continue offering better access to finance for microenterprises, including self-employed people, and social enterprises that struggle to access credit.

The InvestEU SME Competitiveness Guarantee is worth up to €250 million, Microbank will be able to improve the competitiveness of small businesses by facilitating access to finance.

Finally, the InvestEU Sustainability Guarantee is worth up to €37.5 million. This will allow MicroBank to continue to support small businesses in the green transition and related areas such as green, inclusive and environmentally friendly investments.

EIF Chief Executive Marjut Falkstedt highlighted the value of these operations: “We are delighted to be collaborating with CaixaBank and MicroBank to improve access to finance for SMEs and mid-caps in Spain. With the expertise of our partners on the ground and the backing of the InvestEU guarantee programme, we will be able to offer a very competitive financing package. Ultimately, the objective is to help Spanish businesses move towards a greener, digital and inclusive future and in that respect, our vision is fully aligned with that of CaixaBank and MicroBank.”

Executive Vice-President for an Economy that Works for People, Valdis Dombrovskis, said: “InvestEU is playing an important role across Europe in helping small and medium-sized businesses gain access to the finance they need to innovate, expand and create jobs. Thanks to this InvestEU agreement, more and more Spanish businesses will unlock the funds they need to reach their full potential, including in the areas of innovation, sustainability and social entrepreneurship – all vital for future growth.”

Chief Executive Officer of CaixaBank Gonzalo Gortázar emphasised: “As a leading financial institution in Spain, CaixaBank is fully supporting the sustainable economic growth of businesses and society. This agreement is an excellent opportunity for CaixaBank and MicroBank to join forces with the EIF as we work towards the common goal of supporting Spanish small businesses to enhance their sustainability and innovation capacity.”

General Manager of MicroBank Cristina González concluded: “Through this agreement, we hope to improve access to finance for self-employed people, microenterprises and social enterprises. Such support will undoubtedly strengthen Spanish businesses and create employment, wealth and well-being.”

In addition to these EIF operations, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and CaixaBank recently signed two agreements that will have a significant positive impact on all Spanish small and medium enterprises and mid-caps. Specifically, these cover a €250 million financing agreement and a €200 million risk-sharing guarantee. Together, they will enable €900 million to be channelled to such companies in Spain.

These EIB operations follow a series of fruitful collaborations with CaixaBank in recent years. One example is the operation signed in July under the European Guarantee Fund (EGF), which will help to mobilise an additional €1 billion for Spanish businesses.

Background information

About the European Investment Fund (EIF)

The European Investment Fund (EIF) is part of the European Investment Bank Group. Its central mission is to support Europe's micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by helping them to access finance. The EIF designs and develops venture and growth capital, guarantees and microfinance instruments which specifically target this market segment. In this role, the EIF fosters EU objectives in support of innovation, research and development, entrepreneurship, growth and employment.

About InvestEU

The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investment for EU policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. InvestEU brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments currently available to support investment in the European Union, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners who will invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increase their risk-bearing capacity and thus mobilise at least €372 billion in additional investment.

About the European Investment Bank (EIB)

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals.

About CaixaBank

CaixaBank is the leading financial group in Spain with an asset volume of more than €590 billion and one of the leading banks in Europe. CaixaBank also has a strong presence in Portugal, where it controls 100% of BPI. The Group has more than 20 million customers, the largest branch and ATM network in Spain and Portugal, and it is the leader in digital banking with more than 11 million digital clients.

About MicroBank

MicroBank is the social bank of CaixaBank. It provides solutions for different segments of the population whose financial needs are not sufficiently met. It plays a crucial role in CaixaBank’s sustainable banking plan, under which it is tasked with promoting financial inclusion, facilitating access to loans for the most vulnerable people, and strengthening its commitment to Spain’s socioeconomic development.

CaixaBank, Spain's leading financial institution, in partnership with CGEMTTA (Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima), has brought together some 120 Spanish and Moroccan business professionals in Tangier to present its innovative solutions designed to facilitate international trade for companies: the FXNow real-time currency exchange platform and the reverse factoring financial service.

The meeting, which was primarily attended by representatives of the Spanish-Moroccan business community, was opened with remarks by Alfonso Manuel Portabales Vázquex, Consul General of Spain in Tangier, Adil Hais, Regional President of CGEMTTA and Co-president of CEMAES (Morocco-Spain Economic Council), and Manuel Vicente Rodríguez, Economic and Commercial Advisor to the Spanish Embassy in Morocco.

During the conference, which included two roundtable discussions, CaixaBank executives presented the bank's new products and services, which have helped the bank become a pioneer in technological banking solutions in Morocco.

At the first roundtable session, Marga García Baena, Director of Business Development of International Banking at CaixaBank, and Francisco Javier Goñi Ávila, Head of Working Capital at CaixaBank Morocco, explained the benefits of the reverse factoring financial service, which enables companies to manage supplier payments

As part of the service, the bank notifies suppliers when invoices are issued and offers the possibility of collecting payment in advance. There is also an international option for managing invoices issued by companies located in different countries. As an example of its potential, according to data from the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX), Morocco imports products and services from Spain, amounting to €10 billion a year..

At the second roundtable session, María Camarasa Arroyo, Director of Corporate and Mid-Cap FX Sales at CaixaBank, shared her experience with customers of the FXNow Morocco service, the real-time currency exchange platform. Following the launch of this platform in Morocco last June, CaixaBank is the only Spanish bank in the country to combine international transfers made through electronic banking with online exchange rate management.

As such, CaixaBank's platform has managed to adapt to a new market with different regulations and currencies while retaining its main advantages, particularly its user-friendly and convenient interface,  which allows transactions to be performed in two clicks, and its simple contract processing, whereby documents can be signed online.

In 2022, CaixaBank in Morocco processed 20,000 foreign exchange transactions totaling €800 million. Despite only having been operational since June, 35% of these transactions were carried out using the FXNow platform.  

The conference was brought to a close by Carlos de Parias Halcón, managing director of International Banking at CaixaBank.

CaixaBank in Morocco

CaixaBank has had a banking licence in Morocco since 2009, where it has three branches (in Casablanca, Tangier and Agadir). These branches provide foreign trade, business banking and corporate banking services to Spanish companies already established in the country or looking to enter the Moroccan market, as well as to large Moroccan businesses and multinationals.

The entity has established itself as a benchmark bank for Spanish companies operating in Morocco. Around 60% of the 800 Spanish companies operating in the country (according to ICEX data) are customers at the CaixaBank branch.

CaixaBank's international presence 

CaixaBank's international presence is channelled through its network of branches and representative offices around the world and cooperation agreements with leading international banks. The financial institution also owns Portugal's Banco BPI, the fourth largest financial institution operating in Portugal in terms of assets.  

CaixaBank's international network offers support to the bank's overseas business customers and local corporations through global coverage provided by over 200 professionals, almost 30 international locations and agreements with more than 1,600 correspondent banks. The network serves 72 countries, representing 82% of the world's GDP and 94% of Spain's international trade.

CaixaBank's International Banking network currently has branches in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Poland and Morocco, as well as 17 representative offices on all five continents: Milan (Italy), Istanbul (Turkey), Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong (China), Singapore, Dubai (United Arab Emirates), New Delhi (India), Cairo (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Johannesburg (South Africa), New York (USA), Santiago de Chile (Chile), Bogotá (Colombia), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Lima (Peru), Sydney (Australia) and Toronto (Canada).

It also has two Spanish Desk teams in the Austrian Erste Bank (Vienna) and the Mexican Inbursa Bank (Mexico City) to serve CaixaBank business customers in these markets. 

CaixaBank's International Banking network is the only AENOR-certified international banking network in Spain.

CaixaBank's CEO, Gonzalo Gortázar, met with the members of the Advisory Committee of the bank's shareholders to explain  the company's positive results in 2022, thanks to its strong sales, synergies from the Bankia integration ,and the proposed shareholder remuneration.

During the meeting, Gortázar conveyed to the members of the Advisory Committee his assessment of the last year: “In 2022, a year that saw the culmination of the integration process, CaixaBank was able to keep up the commercial pace despite the context of uncertainty resulting from the invasion of Ukraine, and it met its financial and activity targets”.

Following on from this, the CEO noted that the company “closed out a very positive 2022 in terms of commercial dynamics, credit quality and financial strength”. Gortázar expressed his satisfaction “with the good progress of the activity, a reflection of the capacity and desire of CaixaBank to keep supporting families and companies”.

Gortázar commented that the FY 2022 earnings and the company's financial strength allows CaixaBank to “strengthen our commitment to engaging with our customers and with society in general". He also noted how “we provide a basic societal function and we will continue to support society in three main areas: helping customers with difficulties, ensuring financial inclusion, and launching social initiatives”.

He also underlined how "the improved earnings allow CaixaBank to increase the remuneration paid to our shareholders”. The CEO recalled that the proposal will be made at the AGM to pay a gross dividend of 0.2306 euros per share charged to 2022, which is equivalent to a 58% increase compared to the 0.1463 euros of the previous year. This remuneration, which will be paid in April, represents a payout of 55%.

For the 2023 financial year, the approved dividend policy will mean paying out a cash dividend of 50% to 60% of the net consolidated profit, payable in a single payment in April 2024 and subject to final approval at the AGM.

Gortázar advised that this dividend goes directly back into society, since the two main shareholders are the “la Caixa” Foundation and the State, via the FROB. The company has a further 617,800 shareholders.

He expressed his gratitude to the members of the Advisory Committee of shareholders for being involved in this body, “which provides a way for the company to engage with its shareholders and to constantly improve communications, while promoting transparency”.

This was the final meeting for two committee members, whose terms have expired: Josep Casalprim Compte and Lluís Miquel Fernández, both from Girona. Also finishing her term was María Bertolín Pérez (Valencia), although she was unable to attend the meeting.

The members of the Advisory Committee also met with CaixaBank's CFO, Javier Pano, who analysed the bank's economic performance in 2022.

Pioneering initiative in the IBEX 35

CaixaBank was the first financial institution in the IBEX 35 to have an Advisory Committee of shareholders whose goal is to propose, promote and consider actions and channels of communication to improve the dialogue between the company and its shareholders.

It consists of members who represent the shareholders and, as per the rules of the Committee, these members have a maximum term of three years, resulting in regular changes. New members are selected from the candidates proposed in the ‘Shareholders' area’ of the corporate website (www.CaixaBank.com), who try to reflect the makeup of the shareholders. Every Committee member must own a minimum of 1,000 shares during their entire term. 

Aula programme

Thanks to the contributions made by the members of the Advisory Committee of shareholders, various initiatives have been carried out. Some of these initiatives have formed part of the ‘Aula Programme' (‘Classroom programme’) to train shareholders, in which the company provides financial education through in-person courses, webinars and materials for distance learning.

Through this programme, CaixaBank managed to bring its content to over 10,000 shareholders in 2022 alone, who took part in the different training sessions. As part of the programme, CaixaBank launched ‘Training on wheels’, which seeks to introduce financial and economic concepts to the general public in an accessible video format. During a brief two-minute car ride, experts from different fields will provide easy-to-understand explanations of various everyday topics involving finance, the economy and sustainability - all using clear, user-friendly language.

Every week, new content will be made available through the Twitter profile for CaixaBank's shareholders (Accionistas@CABK), and also in the company's YouTube channel.

In addition, the second season of the "Financial Aula Training" podcast was launched with the publication of 12 episodes on financial and economic subjects, available on the leading platforms.

All the content of the Classroom is available in the ‘Shareholders' area' of the corporate website (www.CaixaBank.com), so that anyone who is interested can access the various materials online.

CaixaBank has launched a programme to make it possible for government agencies to integrate Bizum into their online platforms to make it easier to collect taxes and fines instantly and automatically. The bank now offers this new service to government entities that use its payment gateway to process tax payments. Around 20 government bodies in Spain use it, and CaixaBank hopes to deploy it to over a hundred over the course of 2023.

Tax payment through Bizum comes in addition to all the already available options at the government agencies online platforms: payment by card, through ATMs or through online banking. This is a service that everyone can use, regardless of which bank they are customers of.

From the end user's point of view, this feature is very easy to use. The taxpayer follows the usual process to make a tax payment through the website or app of the government agency. When it's time to make the payment, if the provider of the payment platform is CaixaBank and the agency has signed up for the service, the payer will be given the option to use Bizum, in addition to the usual options.

If the user chooses this payment method, detailed instructions will be provided: the user is asked for the phone number registered in Bizum and is instructed to open the banking app they normally use for this service. The payment request will appear automatically in Bizum; the user need only confirm it to make the payment.

Streamlined platform that guarantees the security of online payments

Entities like the City Council of Toledo, the provincial council of Almería, the City Council of Girona, the provincial council of Segovia and the City Council of Valladolid already offer this payment method in their systems. Any government body can request this service from CaixaBank.

The service means the government body will receive the payment immediately, while offering the taxpayer every advantage in terms of the user friendliness and ease of use Bizum is known for, along with 24/7 availability. It is available for paying all kinds of fees/taxes, with the same limits on the amount that Bizum has (€1,500 per operation).

CaixaBank, the bank with the most Bizum users

CaixaBank is the leading payment processor in Spain, with a total of 32.2 million cards issued, a market share for turnover of 30.7% and four million mobile payment customers. 23% of purchases made with CaixaBank issued cards are made with mobiles.

The financial institution is also a leader in terms of Bizum users, with 7.22 million customers registered at the close of 2022. Last year, the number of users of this service at CaixaBank grew by 15%. During the year, the bank's customers sent money through Bizum a total of 390 million times, 36.55% more than in the previous year. The trend in using Bizum in e-commerce is also on the rise, with CaixaBank customers making over 4.5 million payments in 2022.

CaixaBank, leader in mobile payments and in technological innovation

Technology and innovation are essential for CaixaBank. With more than 11 million users of its digital banking service -the largest customer base in the Spanish financial sector- the bank works on a daily basis towards developing new models that are able to meet the requirements and needs of its customers and that bring closer its products, services and financial culture to all citizens. 

This year, the American magazine Global Finance named CaixaBank as the "Most Innovative Financial Institution in Western Europe 2022", and "Best Consumer Digital Bank in Spain 2022". These prizes are in addition to the "Best Consumer Digital Bank for Online Deposits, Card and Investment Product Offerings in the World 2022" and "Best Consumer Digital Bank for Bill Payment & Presentment in the World 2022", and "Best Consumer Digital Bank for Lending in Western Europe 2022", also from Global Finance. Furthermore, the bank's online banking service, CaixaBankNow, has been named the best mobile consumer banking application in the world 2019, and in Western Europe in 2021, 2020, and 2018. 

In addition, the use of data and artificial intelligence have earned the bank the prize for "Best Bank in the World in Data Analysis and AI 2022" at the Banking Innovation Awards of Qorus-Accenture, and "Best Private Bank in Europe in Data Analytics and AI 2022 and 2021" from the Financial Times Group's PWM magazine.

CaixaBank, through its technology division, DayOne, will have its own stand at 4YFN, where it will offer specialised advice for entrepreneurs, innovative companies and professionals who are interested in the solutions and support for technology companies offered by the bank. Alongside personalised advice, the CaixaBank stand will have a space for activities and talks intended for customers and partners. The bank will also have an exhibition area for start-up clients (start-up corner), where DayOne clients, winners of the EmprendeXXI Awards and Zone2boost investees will be able to showcase their projects and interact with other players in the ecosystem. 

Presentations, lectures and round table discussions: an environment for debate

CaixaBank has organised a comprehensive programme of activities and services, which will take place in its own debate space located within the CaixaBank DayOne stand.

Some of the most salient questions in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation will be analysed, such as how to prepare for investment rounds and IPOs in the current economic climate, how to scale a business without venture funds, the prospects raised by the metaverse and the opportunities offered by digital identity, among others. The event will also feature presentations and debates on women in business and how hospitals can take advantage of digital health solutions for their challenges.

The programme is being organised in partnership with the teams of various specialised areas of the bank and subsidiaries of the CaixaBank Group and partners in the innovation ecosystem such as SpainCAP, Endeavor, Barcelona Health Hub and IESE. Participants will include experts from the business areas of AgroBank, corporate banking, sustainability, human resources and business open innovation, to name but a few. Subsidiaries such as imagin, Zone2boost and CaixaBank Tech will also be taking part.

Besides the directors of the bank, experts in the sector, such as Rita Almela (101 Venturres), Jordi Romero (Factorial), Pablo Álvarez (Clikalia), as well as others, will also take part in the conferences and talks organised by the bank, they will explain what is behind the success of their business models, their experiences and how they have managed to grow..

Weecover, Sibill, Plazah, Payflow, Newe, Nemuru, Haddock and Privasee are just a few of the start-ups in the Zone2boost portfolio, an international innovation initiative driven by CaixaBank, Global Payments and Ingenico with the backing of Visa and Plug and Play. The founders of these companies will showcase their projects and share their experiences at the bank’s stand.

The CaixaBank stand will also host an event to share the results of the first AgroBank Tech Digital Innovation call and future challenges with the start-ups. Additionally, the Observatory of tech trends will be unveiled and a round table on the reality of entrepreneurship will be held, attended by start-up managers from previous editions of the EmprendeXXI Awards and from the programme with the EIC (European Innovation Council).

PEXXI: acknowledging the most innovative companies

To contribute to developing young innovative companies with high growth potential, the bank launched the EmprendeXXI Awards in 2007.

As part of the 4YFN, the regional round of these awards is kicking off and rewards the start-ups with the greatest impact on their territory. Now in their 16th year, these awards have established themselves as a benchmark in the entrepreneurial sector.

The start-up chosen in Catalonia, where these awards are co-sponsored by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, through Enisa, will be announced on 28 February.

The awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday 28 February at 4YFN’s Partners Lab CC8 at 11 am

AgroBank drives innovation and digitalisation

Through its commitment to boosting innovation and digitalisation in the agri-food sector, AgroBank has invited leading international agri-food companies and start-ups to explain how they have turned their projects into success stories. This event will be held at CaixaBank’s All In One branch and will feature the start-ups that have submitted their applications to the AgroBank Tech Digital INNovation open call.

The event will be held on Wednesday 1 March at 3 pm at the CaixaBank All In One branch (Pl. de Francesc Macià, 10)

imagin, innovation at the service of users

The digital services and lifestyle platform imagin, powered by CaixaBank, will form part of the official 4YFN schedule by taking part in the 'Business Prototyping Summit', a panel session that will bring together profiles of innovative companies from various industries to explain how agility and efficiency are key to the launch of new products and services.

The event will be held on Thursday 2 March at 10:30 am on the Agora Stage at 4YFN (Hall 8.1) and will be attended by Cristian Farrés, Digital Experience Head at imagin.  

Agenda summary

Various areas of 4YFN will host presentations by representatives from CaixaBank and other key players in the innovation ecosystem, including the following: 

MONDAY 27 FEBRUARY: 

• “Creating value in early stage”, with Rita Almela (101 Ventures), Alberto Hospital (Lanzadera), Bruno Dureux (Innoventures Capital). Monday 27 February at 11:30 am at the DayOne Agora Stand 

• “Digital Identity” with Juan Manel Arcas (CaixaBank Tech) and Ivan Basart Castillo (Validated ID). Monday 27 February at 12 noon at the DayOne Agora Stand 

• “Digital assets – what’s next after the era of speculation?”, with Eva Fernández Santidrián (CaixaBank Head of innovation), Julia Carbajal (Celo), Rajesh Sabari (Telcoin), Eric Pulier (Vatom inc), David Cunningham (Citi), Khusro Khalid (Deloitte Digital). Monday 27 February at 1 pm at the Sky Room – Discovery Area, Hall 8.1 

• “Metaverse” with Marc Cabezas and Carlota Llacuna from CaixaBank Tech. Monday 27 February at 1:30 pm at the DayOne Agora Stand 

• “The Growth of new impact VC Funds” with Manuel Nieto (First Drop VC), Fernando Casado (Inclimo Climate Tech Fund), Maite Fibla (Ship2B Ventures) and Natalia Ruiz (Net Zero Ventures). Monday 27 February at 3:30 pm at the DayOne Agora Stand 

• "Investment red flags: when should VCs say no?", with Marta Antúnez (Wayra), Mercé Tell (Encomenda), Talia Rafaeli (Kompas VC - Israel), Azahara Espejo (Hearst Lab). Monday 27 February at 4:20 pm at the DayOne Agora Stand

TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY: 

• “Collaborative Growth: Navigating the Instersection of Startups and Corporates”, with Jordi Romero (Factorial), Juan Ignacio García (Boopos), Pere Monràs (Nemuru) and Álvaro Falcones (TaxDown), in addition to other speakers. Tuesday 28 February starting from 9 am at the Partners Lab. CC8 

• “More than scale, multiply. How Unicorns build ecosystems around them”, with Jordi Romero (Factorial), Cesar Miguelañez (Latitude), Yasir Raïs (Syra Coffee), Miquel Subirats (StockAgile). Tuesday 28 February at 1 pm on the 4YFN Agora Stage 

• “From Serial Entrepeneur to Business Angel in Alicante”, with Pablo Alvarez (Clikalia), German Agullo (GDV Mobility), Amaia Rodriguez (Gravity Wave). Tuesday 28 February at 3 pm at the DayOne Agora Stand 

• “Fundraising in the current environment”, with Pepe Agell (Pear VC) Javier del Toro (Angels Capital), Mario Brassesco (Bit2me), Alberto Centeno (Fourvenues), Angels Molist (Secways). Tuesday 28 February at 4 pm at the DayOne Agora Stand

WEDNESDAY 1 MARCH

• “Practical aspects to take into account when closing rounds with Business Angels”, with Joan Roure (Eterlast), Marc Serra (Axial Biotech (Robopedics)), Beltrán Aznar (Clevergy). Wednesday 1 March at 12.30 pm at the DayOne Agora Stand 

• “Perspectivas Venture Capital 2023: how to improve the process of capital raising”, with Aniol Brosa (Inveready), David Hernández (Pangea). Wednesday 1 March at 3 pm at the DayOne Agora Stand 

• “Success stories made in Barcelona”, with Oriol de Pablo (Vicio), Josep Talavera (Mundimoto), Bruno Casanovas (NudeProject). Wednesday 1 March at 3.30 pm at the DayOne Agora Stand 

• An event with international agrotech companies and elevator pitch of the start-ups that have brought their projects to the AgroBank Tech Digital INNovation open call. Wednesday 1 March at 3 pm at the CaixaBank All In One branch

THURSDAY 2 MARCH

• “Business Prototyping Summit”, with Cristian Farrés (Digital Experience Head at imagin); Christel Adam (Kraft Heinz); Yann Bry (AXA Next); and moderator Blai Carandell Saladich (NOBA). Thursday 2 March at 10:30 am on the 4YFN Agora Stage (Hall 8.1)
• Welcome Start-ups of AgroBank Tech Digital INNovation, which will feature the keynote presentation of the Tech Trends Observatory, a speech on the global results and future challenges of the AgroBank acceleration programme and a round table discussion with start-ups on The Reality of Entrepreneurship. Thursday 2 March at 11 am on the dayOne Agora Stand

You can check the full agenda at this link.