The level of financial inclusion in Spain reaches 98% of the population, according to the most recent World Bank data. This is the second highest percentage among the main eurozone countries, below Germany’s 99% but above France’s 97% and the estimated 87% for Italy.
We could define financial inclusion as access to various financial products and services, and as the key to improving families’ lives and their wealth generation, in an environment of strong economic growth. Such as the current one.
An efficient and competitive banking sector is fundamental to explaining this high level of financial inclusion. For example, 75% of the Spanish population resides in municipalities with six or more credit institutions, according to AEB data. And more than 92% of the population lives in towns with two or more different banks, which offers customers the possibility to choose between them and therefore benefit from healthy competition.
The density of bank branches in Spain is also one of the highest in Europe. According to ECB figures, in Spain there is one bank branch for every 1,493 inhabitants compared to 2,170 inhabitants on average in the eurozone.
