Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. is a multinational Spanish banking group. It was formed in 1999 from the merger of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya and Argentaria, both of which in turn had previously amalgamated three important banks in Spain, namely Banco de Bilbao, Banco de Vizcaya, Banco Exterior de España and the state-owned Caja Postal de Ahorros, with other minor entities. BBVA is the second largest bank in Spain and 7th largest financial institution in the Western world with a market capitalization of over 61 billion €. The bank has recently focused on overseas expansion, and now operates in 40 countries. Like many other Spanish companies, it enjoys a dominant position in Spanish-speaking Latin American countries. It also has a strong presence in southern European countries, especially Portugal and Italy, and has announced its intention to expand into the United States and in Asia. read more