Pyms’ access to bank finance

In particular, although more than 55% of Spanish SMEs cite the availability of finance as an obstacle to turnaround, this proportion is lower than in the rest of the countries. On the other hand, it is a contribution of up to 40%, which corresponds to large Spanish companies.

OECD diagnostics can be improved by using the latest information offered by the ECB on two databases: information on conditions of access to finance and data on the types of interests of bank creditors.

In the first case, the latest available information refers to the fourth quarter of 2025, and from the various questions that comprise the ECB statement, I will describe you in two ways: targeting companies that indicate access to finance as their main problem; and the right to respond if the bank increased or decreased financing terms in four variables: types of interest, other costs (such as bank commissions), available credit and guarantee requirements.

In the case of pyms access to finance is the main problem for only 4.6% of Spanish companies, percentage muy parecido a la eurozone average (4.2%). This figure of 4.6% of small businesses is similar for large Spanish companies.

The perception that Spanish citizens have to bear in order to get financing is that the bank has increased them

If we analyze the financial conditions, in the case of interest types, the net response rate (increasing-disminuyen) in Spanish Pymes is 8.7%, which is lower than 13.1% in the Eurozone. The positive net price contrasts with the negative -24.3% of large Spanish companies.

This last negative value contrasts with the positive value of 11.8% of large European companies. It is good news that in all areas of business Spain’s values ​​are lower than those of the Eurozone.

In the rest of costs differentiated by type of interest (such as bank commissions), the net response is 26.5% in Spanish banks, for example 28.1% in Eurozone banks. It is a high percentage that contrasts with the negative figure of -10.1% of large Spanish companies, so there are clear differences between large and small companies in this dimension of finance.

In terms of credit availability, the number of people who think they have more finances than those who think otherwise is higher, with a net ratio of 3%, higher than the 0.8% of people in the euro area. In large Spanish companies, that’s exactly 8.9%.

Finally, the impression that Spanish families have to endure to get financing is that the bank has increased them, with a net response rate of 14.3%, although this is lower than the 16.8% of the same companies in the eurozone.

The data also contrasts with what Spain’s majors reported, dominated by those who believed they had reduced collateral demand, with a net ratio of -8% (+11.2% in the eurozone).

The diagnostics can be expanded and refined with information on the types of bank lenders’ interests in businesses with December 2025 data. The average type of loan (in a new operation) to companies in Spain is 3.34%, is the second lowest of all eurozone countries, the average is 3.57%.

In order to lend less than €250,000 (most small businesses), the rate in Spain is 3.22%, the highest reduction in the Eurozone (average 3.65%). Between 250,000 and one million euros, Spain also occupies the first place in the European ranking with a share of 3.11%, which is the lowest.

And for more than a million euros, the interest rate in Spain is 3.39%, in this case slightly above the 3.31% average of the Eurozone. Please note that there are almost no differences between the type of interest in terms of the amount of the loan, between 250,000 and more than one million euros, the difference is only 28 basis points.

In short, we welcome all the proposals that the OCDE is making to improve access to finance for Spanish workers (some of them are encouraged to access the capital market), but the latest available information offered by the ECB lacks a better situation in Spain than in the eurozone, with the types of interests being more reduced up to a million euros in the near future.

And as the availability of bank financing is reported to have increased the least in the last quarter of 2025.

However, where conditions have not improved is in the requirement of guarantees (which have increased) and in costs differentiated by type of interest, where the size When comparing what the tykes and the big companies declare, it matters.

While access to finance is undoubtedly a necessary condition for the growth and development of small businesses, the same is now a major concern for only a very low percentage of firms (4.6%), which is similar to large companies.

*** Joaquín Maudos, university professor, adjunto director of Ivie and collaborator of CUNEF.