Step · Money
Set up Bizum for instant mobile payments
Bizum is Spain’s bank-run mobile payment system that links your phone number to your Spanish bank account so you can send, request and receive money in seconds, pay in some shops and online, and donate, all through your bank’s own app.
- Why it matters
- Friends, flatmates, sports clubs and small shops in Spain routinely say 'te hago un Bizum' to split bills or pay you back, so not having it makes everyday money exchanges awkward.
- When
- You have a Spanish bank account and are asked to pay or be paid by phone number (splitting a bill, club fees, selling something second-hand).
- How long it takes
- Activation is done in the bank app; no official processing time found. A transfer to a registered recipient arrives in seconds (bizum.com says 'in less than 10 seconds').
- Official page
- Can you take Bizum with you on a trip? (requirements: account in Spain/Andorra; phone number need not be Spanish)
- Last checked
- 6 Oct 2026
In the guide: the 4 steps, what to bring (4 items), and tips and what to watch for, with every official source.