Spain is preparing for a new era of fiscal oversight with banks now obligated to send detailed information about card transactions exceeding 25,000 euros annually. This initiative, included in the Royal Decree 253/2025, aims to strengthen transparency in financial transactions and combat tax fraud and money laundering. From January 1st, regarding the fiscal year beginning on that date, banks and electronic money institutions must provide the Tax Agency with data not only on card operations but also information about loans, credits and cash movements that exceed certain established thresholds.
The regulatory framework includes measures that will impact a wide spectrum of financial products, ensuring that the Treasury has a comprehensive view of the economic behaviour of citizens in Spain. Article 37 of the Royal Decree precisely specifies what information financial institutions must report. They are required to provide identifying data of account holders, which is essential for linking transactions to specific individuals, as well as year-end balances as of 31st December, reflecting assets at that moment. Additionally, entities will need to communicate the average balance for the last quarter of the fiscal year, providing a more dynamic perspective on the holder's liquidity.
Furthermore, they must report the total amounts of debits and credits made during the year, facilitating a broad overview of economic flows. This dataset allows the Treasury to conduct thorough monitoring and detect possible irregularities or suspicious movements. One of the most relevant aspects for users is the obligation to report card operations, in accordance with Article 38 ter. Whenever the annual sum of debits and credits exceeds 25,000 euros, banks must submit a detailed informative declaration.
Comprehensive monitoring of financial transactions
This measure affects all types of cards, whether credit, debit or prepaid, and includes cash recharges, reflecting the Treasury's intention to cover all channels through which money flows via these instruments. Among the data that must be submitted are the identification of the holder, the type of card and the total volume of income registered. This information is key to contrasting and cross-referencing data that may reveal inconsistencies or evidence of fraud.
Additionally, Article 38 includes changes requiring entities to report balances of loans and credits exceeding 6,000 euros as of December 31st. This provision seeks more exhaustive control over citizens' financial obligations.
On the other hand, a threshold of 3,000 euros is set for cash operations, such as deposits, withdrawals and collections derived from documents. This update aims to limit the use of cash in significant transactions, which present greater difficulty for routine tracking. Collectively, these measures strengthen the monitoring of monetary movements that previously might have remained outside the Tax Agency's reach.
Implementation timeline and adaptation period
It's important to note that all these obligations begin to apply from January 1st, 2026. Therefore, movements made during 2025 will not require these types of reports.
The first informative declaration corresponding to the 2026 fiscal year must be submitted according to the usual deadlines established by the Treasury in subsequent months. This planning aims to offer an adaptation period for both financial institutions and taxpayers, who must take into account the new limits and obligations to prepare their accounting and financial monitoring for 2026.