The history of BBVA is the story of many people and it starts in the middle of the 19th century. These people formed a part of financial institutions that progressively joined together to widen business horizons. Today BBVA is working towards a better future for people, searching for lasting customer relationships that will change the perception of business. As a result of this work BBVA has become a veritable point of reference at international level as a highly-regarded, award-winning bank. BBVA has its eyes firmly fixed on the future and is moving forward, adapting to the changing requirements of an increasingly global market. This vision is backed by one and a half centuries of history. BBVA’s story starts in 1857 when the Spanish Board of Trade sponsored the creation of Banco de Bilbao as a currency-issuing and discount bank.
Most of the financial entities that grew into larger groups during the 20th century were founded between 1875 and 1925. The group known as BBVA was created in 1999.
In addition, in 1960 the components of the group began to increase their international presence. | 
