Banco de Espana
The Bank of Spain (Spanish: Banco de España, pronounced [ˈbaŋko ðe esˈpaɲa]) is the national central bank for Spain within the Eurosystem. It was the Spanish central bank from 1874 to 1998, issuing the peseta. Since 2014, it has also been Spain's national competent authority within European Banking Supervision. It was originally established by Charles III in Madrid in 1782, as the Banco Nacional de San Carlos, and took its current name in 1856. Its activity is regulated by the Bank of Spain Autonomy Act. The bank doesn't translate its name to English but uses its Spanish name in all English communications.
Institutional profile
Institutional role and background
The Bank of Spain (Spanish: Banco de España, pronounced [ˈbaŋko ðe esˈpaɲa]) is the national central bank for Spain within the Eurosystem. It was the Spanish central bank from 1874 to 1998, issuing the peseta. Since 2014, it has also been Spain's national competent authority within European Banking Supervision. It was originally established by Charles III in Madrid in 1782, as the Banco Nacional de San Carlos, and took its current name in 1856. Its activity is regulated by the Bank of Spain Autonomy Act. The bank doesn't translate its name to English but uses its Spanish name in all English communications. [3]
The Bank of Spain holds 9.1 million troy ounces of gold (around 283 tons) (2019), which are stored in its own vaults and in various institutions in London and New York. According to IMF data, Spain ranks 20th among the 40 largest gold reserves in the world (as of July 2015). [3]
In addition to its monetary role, the Bank of Spain is also a financial supervisory authority. In that capacity, it increasingly implements policies set at the European Union level. It is the national competent authority for Spain within European Banking Supervision. It is a voting member of the Board of Supervisors of the European Banking Authority (EBA). It is also a member of the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB). [3]
Selected introductory text by Wikipedia contributors — Bank of Spain, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Official facts are cited separately.
Institutional history
Establishment date in the institutional background record. [2]
Source-supported connections
Frequently asked questions
When was Banco de Espana established?
1782-06-02. See the linked source for the institutional record. [2]
Where is Banco de Espana headquartered?
Bank of Spain headquarters. See the linked source for the institutional record. [2]
Banco de Espana connection map
Select a node to inspect the relationship and source.
Links retain their source-specific meaning. Award-time affiliations and links to related reading are not claims about current appointments or economic causation.
Sources and review dates
- Reference source ↗
- Wikidata background facts (CC0) ↗
- Wikipedia contributors — Bank of Spain (CC BY-SA 4.0) ↗
Reviewed 23 October 2026. Historical dates and award-time affiliations retain their original context. A review date is not an event date. Background sources are identified separately from official records.