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Bizum moves into shops with new tap-to-pay feature
Caja Rural becomes first banking group to roll out contactless Bizum Pay on mobiles
Bizum is about to take a significant step forward in how people pay in Spain, with a new contactless system allowing shoppers to pay in physical stores simply by holding their mobile phone near the card machine.The new service, known as Bizum Pay, will remove the need to give a phone number or wait for a verification SMS when paying in shops. Instead, customers will be able to make purchases in the same way they already do with contactless cards or mobile wallets.
The move builds on recent changes that have already made tax payments, in Andalucía, and other official transactions simpler using Bizum. While Bizum has long been popular for splitting restaurant bills, paying for coffees or sending money to friends, this marks a shift into everyday retail payments.
The Caja Rural Group will be the first financial group in Spain to offer Bizum Pay, and it will be available on both iOS and Android devices. Payments made using the new system will go directly into the bank account linked to the Bizum app.
In a press release, the group confirmed that “its 30 member banks are ready to launch Bizum Pay, a new payment method that will allow customers to shop in physical stores and online using their mobile phones”.
For users, the system offers several practical advantages. Online payments can be completed using just a mobile number, without entering long card details. In shops, customers simply bring their phone close to the point-of-sale terminal. Users can also choose whether to pay with Bizum or with their bank card, all within the same app.
Importantly, business customers of Caja Rural will not need to change their existing card terminals to accept Bizum Pay, making it easier for smaller retailers to offer the service.
There has previously been confusion around whether Bizum payments are monitored by the Spanish Tax Agency. As clarified late last year, personal Bizum payments are not individually tracked in the way some rumours suggested. Banks already report monthly income received by freelancers and businesses through cards, transfers and Bizum, in line with existing regulations.
Bizum Pay is also designed to be secure and accessible, with the service adapted to Spain’s four co-official languages. As contactless payments continue to grow, the launch of Bizum Pay signals a clear push to make mobile payments even more straightforward for everyday life in Spain.
