Spain to track card payments over €25,000 a year from 2026
If you’re someone who relies heavily on your bank card for everyday purchases, there’s an important change coming your way. Starting January 1, 2026, Spain’s Tax Agency (Agencia Tributaria) will begin receiving monthly reports from banks on all individuals whose annual card payments exceed €25,000. The move – part of a broader effort by the Ministry of Finance (Hacienda) to crack down on undeclared income and the shadow economy — will give the government far greater visibility into how money moves between consumers and businesses. What changes in 2026 – and who will be affected From 2026, all banks will be required to report the total volume of transactions made with credit, debit, prepaid, or virtual cards whenever the combined yearly total surpasses €25,000. For the average consumer, that threshold is roughly €2,083 per month. Only those exceeding this amount in total card spending across all accounts will fall under Hacienda’s radar. However, the rules are much stricter for businesses and self-employed workers. Starting that same year, every single card payment received – whether through a physical terminal, an online shop, Bizum, or any other mobile payment system – will be automatically reported to the Tax Agency. There’s no minimum threshold for these professional transactions. Until now, only businesses or professionals exceeding €3,000 annually in card payments had to be declared. But from 2026, that limit disappears, giving authorities a clearer, more complete picture of economic activity and digital transactions. Monthly data sharing: a tighter net for undeclared income Another major change is the frequency of reporting. Banks currently send this data to the Tax Agency once a year – but under the new system, they’ll be doing it every month. This will allow Hacienda to cross-check data in real time with tax returns and income declarations, helping them detect irregularities faster and more efficiently. The reports will include: Full identification of the cardholder and any authorised users Card numbers and linked bank accounts Total amounts of all transactions (both credits and debits) Details of payments made to merchants Meanwhile, the rule for cash transactions remains the same – banks must notify the Tax Agency of any cash movement exceeding €3,000. For private individuals, this new level of oversight will mainly affect those with high annual spending. For the self-employed, freelancers, and businesses, it marks a significant tightening of fiscal transparency requirements – especially for online sales and digital payments. What this means for consumers and businesses For most people, this change won’t mean an immediate problem – unless their card expenses exceed €25,000 a year. Still, experts advise keeping better control over card use and ensuring that all sources of income and spending are properly declared. For businesses, especially small enterprises and autónomos, the impact will be more direct. The removal of the minimum reporting threshold means all card-based revenue will be visible to the tax authorities. This move is part of Spain’s ongoing push to modernise tax oversight, aligning it with EU efforts to fight tax evasion and money laundering through greater data sharing and financial traceability. In short: from 2026, Hacienda will know a lot more about how you spend and receive money – whether through your card, online shop, or mobile payments. So if you’re nearing that €25,000 mark or run a business that processes card transactions, now might be the time to review your accounts… before the taxman does. Stay tuned with Euro Weekly News for more news from Spain
