From 1 January 2026, a major change will come into effect in the way Spanish tax authorities (Hacienda) monitor electronic payments, including Bizum, bank transfers, and card transactions. Until now, Hacienda focused mainly on large sums, but the new rules will target repeated payments, meaning thousands of small transactions that previously went under the radar could now be scrutinised.
Under Royal Decree 253/2025, banks in Spain will no longer only report payments over €3,000. Any payment that follows a recurring pattern, no matter how small, will now be analysed. All financial institutions will send Hacienda a monthly report detailing transactions that meet these criteria. The size of the transaction is no longer the key factor; repeated activity is. The aim is to tighten oversight of this increasingly popular payment method, widely used by residents and professionals across Spain, in order to combat fraud.
This means that transfers of €50, €200, or €500 could attract attention if repeated regularly. Bizum alone processes around three million transactions a day in Spain, reflecting how central it has become to everyday financial life.
A common scenario involves parents helping a child with rent or a mortgage. If they transfer a fixed amount each month — for example, €300 — and it is not repaid, the payment may be considered a recurring gift. To avoid complications, experts suggest declaring such support as a gift (which benefits from reduced tax rates in many Spanish regions) or formalising it as a personal loan with agreed repayment terms.
Self-employed workers in Spain will also be affected. From January, every payment must be justified with a corresponding invoice, even small amounts, and professional and personal accounts must be kept strictly separate. Some self-employed residents have expressed concern: a craftswoman in Madrid described the increase in administrative and tax pressure, while the Spanish Association of Tax Advisers warned that oversight is increasingly targeting smaller taxpayers rather than larger, high-risk transactions.
The obligation to submit these reports will fall on banks, credit institutions, and payment service providers, whether physical or digital, operating with self-employed workers and businesses in Spain. In addition to professional payments, banks must report recurring payment patterns and the annual volume of transfers, including those made via Bizum. If the amounts received via Bizum do not match what is declared in tax returns, a tax inspection is almost certain, as Hacienda can cross-check the data.