# Abanca

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/abanca
> research date 2026-05-30 · extracted at 2026-10-07
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [Abanca — official](https://www.abanca.com/)

## Overview

**Abanca (Abanca Corporación Bancaria)** is **Spain's 8th largest bank with 2.51% Spanish market share 2025** + **Galician savings bank cooperative heritage post-Sep 2011 NCG Banco merger** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [Spain report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/ES)</sup>. **2025 baseline**: Abanca 2.51% Spanish market share + €73.48B Abanca 2025 total assets; Abanca created Sep 2011 from Galician savings banks merger (formerly NCG Banco); **Jan 28 2021 Abanca acquires Bankoa from Crédit Agricole** (Abanca expanded commercial network with 30 branches) + **Oct 6 2023 Abanca acquires TARGOBANK España** (post-Dec 22 2022 negotiations announcement).

**Distinctive Abanca positioning** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [3][3]</sup>:
- **Spain's 8th largest bank with 2.51% Spanish market share 2025** + €73.48B Abanca 2025 total assets
- **Galician savings bank cooperative heritage post-Sep 2011 NCG Banco merger** (Abanca created Sep 2011 from Galician savings banks merger; formerly NCG Banco)
- **Among Spanish banks with easiest digital onboarding processes**
- **Jan 28 2021 Abanca acquires Bankoa from Crédit Agricole** (Abanca expanded commercial network with 30 branches) — distinctive Spanish-French banking acquisition
- **Oct 6 2023 Abanca acquires TARGOBANK España** (post-Dec 22 2022 negotiations announcement) — distinctive Spanish-German banking acquisition (TARGOBANK España = Crédit Mutuel French/German subsidiary's Spanish operations)
- **Abanca Bankoa + TARGOBANK España acquisitions** = distinctive 2 acquisitions in 2 years strategy

## History

**Sep 2011 — NCG Banco formed via Galician savings banks merger** → distinctive Galician savings bank cooperative consolidation.

**2014 — NCG Banco renamed Abanca** post-Venezuelan Banesco Group acquisition of NCG Banco for €1.003B.

**2015 — Abanca expansion into Portugal** + Abanca opens Portuguese branch network.

**Jan 28 2021 — Abanca finalizes Bankoa acquisition from Crédit Agricole** → Abanca expanded commercial network with 30 branches → distinctive Spanish-French banking acquisition <sup>[2][2]</sup>.

**Dec 22 2022 — Abanca announces TARGOBANK España acquisition negotiations**.

**Oct 6 2023 — Abanca acquires TARGOBANK España** (Crédit Mutuel French/German subsidiary's Spanish operations) → distinctive Spanish-German banking acquisition <sup>[3][3]</sup>.

**2025 — Abanca 2.51% Spanish market share + €73.48B Abanca 2025 total assets + 8th largest Spanish bank** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **Abanca Corporación Bancaria S.A.** (Spanish private).

**Major shareholders**: **Banesco Holding Financiero S.L. (Venezuelan Banesco Group; Spanish-Venezuelan Escotet family ~84% controlling) + Spanish institutional**.

**Regulators**: **Banco de España + ECB**.

## Technical integration

Abanca Mobile Banking app (iOS + Android) + abanca.com online + Abanca cards (Visa + Mastercard) + Abanca Spanish + Portuguese branch network; SEPA Instant + Bizum (Spanish P2P payment service); **Bankoa (post-Jan 28 2021 Crédit Agricole acquisition; integrated)** + **TARGOBANK España (post-Oct 6 2023 acquisition; Crédit Mutuel French/German subsidiary's Spanish operations; integrated)**.

## Users & growth

**2025**: Abanca 8th largest Spanish bank with 2.51% Spanish market share + €73.48B Abanca 2025 total assets.

## Use cases

Spanish + Portuguese retail + private + corporate + SME + investment + insurance banking via Abanca Mobile + abanca.com online + cards + branches; SEPA Instant + Bizum (Spanish P2P payment service); **Bankoa (post-Jan 28 2021 Crédit Agricole acquisition; integrated)** + **TARGOBANK España (post-Oct 6 2023 acquisition; Crédit Mutuel French/German subsidiary's Spanish operations; integrated)**.

## Implementations & partners

**Operator**: Abanca Corporación Bancaria S.A. (Spanish private); **Banesco Holding Financiero S.L. (Venezuelan Banesco Group; Spanish-Venezuelan Escotet family ~84% controlling)**.

**Subsidiaries**: **Bankoa** (post-Jan 28 2021 Crédit Agricole acquisition; integrated; 30 branches) + **TARGOBANK España** (post-Oct 6 2023 acquisition; Crédit Mutuel French/German subsidiary's Spanish operations; integrated) + **Abanca Portugal**.

**Major Spanish banking competitors**: BBVA (Spain #1 + global) + [CaixaBank + imagin](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/caixabank) (Spain #2; post-Mar 2021 Bankia €4.3B all-stock merger) + [Banco Santander (Spain parent)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/santander-spain) (Banco Santander S.A.; Europe's 4th largest) + [Banco Sabadell](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/banco-sabadell) (Spain #4; survived BBVA hostile takeover bid 2024-2025) + [Unicaja Banco](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/unicaja) (Spain's 5th largest bank post-Jul 30 2021 Liberbank €1.16B all-stock merger; 4.5M Spanish customers) + [Bankinter](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/bankinter) (Spanish top-tier bank + post-Jul 2025 EVO Banco merger) + Openbank (Santander digital subsidiary) + Ibercaja + Kutxabank.

**Regulators**: Banco de España + ECB.

## Fun facts

- **Spain's 8th largest bank with 2.51% Spanish market share 2025** + €73.48B Abanca 2025 total assets.
- **Galician savings bank cooperative heritage post-Sep 2011 NCG Banco merger** (Abanca created Sep 2011 from Galician savings banks merger; formerly NCG Banco).
- **Among Spanish banks with easiest digital onboarding processes**.
- **Jan 28 2021 Abanca acquires Bankoa from Crédit Agricole** (Abanca expanded commercial network with 30 branches) — distinctive Spanish-French banking acquisition.
- **Oct 6 2023 Abanca acquires TARGOBANK España** (post-Dec 22 2022 negotiations announcement) — distinctive Spanish-German banking acquisition (TARGOBANK España = Crédit Mutuel French/German subsidiary's Spanish operations).
- **Abanca Bankoa + TARGOBANK España acquisitions** = distinctive 2 acquisitions in 2 years strategy.
- **Banesco Holding Financiero S.L. (Venezuelan Banesco Group; Spanish-Venezuelan Escotet family ~84% controlling)**.

## Comparison

| Feature | Abanca | [Unicaja Banco](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/unicaja) (Spain's 5th largest bank post-Jul 30 2021 Liberbank €1.16B all-stock merger rival) | [CaixaBank + imagin](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/caixabank) (Spain #2 rival; post-Mar 2021 Bankia €4.3B all-stock merger) | [Bankinter](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/bankinter) (Spanish top-tier bank rival + post-Jul 2025 EVO Banco merger) | [Banco Sabadell](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/banco-sabadell) (Spain #4 rival; survived BBVA hostile takeover bid 2024-2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | **Abanca Corporación Bancaria S.A. (Spanish private; Banesco Holding Financiero ~84% Escotet family Venezuelan banking group)** | Unicaja Banco S.A. (BME: UNI) | CaixaBank S.A. (BME: CABK) | Bankinter S.A. (BME: BKT) | Banco de Sabadell S.A. (BME: SAB) |
| Type | **Spain's 8th largest bank with 2.51% Spanish market share 2025 + €73.48B 2025 total assets + Galician savings bank cooperative heritage post-Sep 2011 NCG Banco merger + Jan 28 2021 Bankoa Crédit Agricole acquisition + Oct 6 2023 TARGOBANK España Crédit Mutuel subsidiary acquisition** | Spain's 5th largest bank post-Jul 30 2021 Liberbank €1.16B all-stock merger + 4.5M Spanish customers + May 2022 Liberbank technological + operational integration + 1.8M Liberbank customers migrated | Spain #2 + post-Mar 2021 Bankia €4.3B all-stock merger + 21M+ CaixaBank customers + Now CaixaBank distinctive Spanish online subsidiary | Spanish top-tier bank + Madrid HQ + post-Jul 2025 EVO Banco merger absorbing 767K total + 330K active customers | Spain #4 + survived BBVA hostile takeover bid 2024-2025 |
| Country | ES + PT | ES | ES + PT | ES + PT + IE + LU | ES + UK (TSB; sold 2025) |
| Distinctive | **Sep 2011 NCG Banco Galician savings banks merger formation; 2014 NCG Banco renamed Abanca post-Venezuelan Banesco Group €1.003B acquisition; 2015 Portuguese expansion; Jan 28 2021 Bankoa Crédit Agricole acquisition (30 branches); Oct 6 2023 TARGOBANK España Crédit Mutuel subsidiary acquisition; Banesco Holding Financiero ~84% Escotet family Venezuelan banking group controlling** | Mar 1991 Unicaja Andalusian Caja de Ahorros consolidation founding; Jul 30 2021 Liberbank €1.16B all-stock merger | 1904 Caja de Pensiones para la Vejez founding; 2007 Caixa d'Estalvis founding via 30 Catalan savings banks merger; Mar 2021 Bankia €4.3B all-stock merger | Jun 4 1965 Banco Intercontinental Español (Bankinter) founding by Santander + Bank of America joint venture; 1972 spun off; Jul 2025 EVO Banco merger | 1881 Banco de Sabadell founding in Sabadell, Catalonia; 2024-2025 BBVA hostile takeover bid attempt + survived |

## Status

**Active, Spain's 8th largest bank with 2.51% Spanish market share 2025 + Galician savings bank cooperative heritage post-Sep 2011 NCG Banco merger** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [3][3]</sup>:
- **Abanca Corporación Bancaria S.A. (Spanish private)** since Sep 2011 NCG Banco Galician savings banks merger formation + 2014 NCG Banco renamed Abanca post-Venezuelan Banesco Group €1.003B acquisition.
- **Jan 28 2021 Bankoa Crédit Agricole acquisition + Oct 6 2023 TARGOBANK España Crédit Mutuel subsidiary acquisition**.
- **Banesco Holding Financiero S.L. (Venezuelan Banesco Group; Spanish-Venezuelan Escotet family ~84% controlling)**.
- **Banco de España + ECB regulated**.

## Sources

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abanca "Abanca — Wikipedia"
[2]: https://nplreo.prime-yield.com/abanca-acquires-the-novo-bancos-retail-network-in-spain/ "Abanca acquires the Novo Banco's retail network in Spain — NPL&REO Services"
[3]: https://thebanks.eu/banks/13283 "Abanca Corporacion Bancaria, S.A. (Spain) — Bank Profile"
[es-cro]: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/ES

- [1] [Abanca — Wikipedia][1]
- [2] [Abanca acquires the Novo Banco's retail network in Spain — NPL&REO Services][2]
- [3] [Abanca Corporacion Bancaria, S.A. (Spain) — Bank Profile][3]
- <sup>[Spain report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/ES)</sup> In-corpus: `reports/countries/ES-spain.md`

## Source

Biography extracted from [abanca.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/source/wallets/abanca). See `matrix.md` for standards-support matrix if present.