Note 42 - Impairment or reversal of impairment on financial assets not measured at fair value through profit or loss (Details) - EUR (€) € in Millions	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Impairment or reversal of impairment on financial assets not measured at fair value through profir or loss
Financial assets measured at fair value through other comprehensive income-debt securities, impairment or reversal of impairment	€ 5	€ (12)
Loans and receivables, impairment or reversal of impairment	1,772	1,618
Recovery of written-off assets	(534)	(317)
Total impairment or reversal of impairment on financial assets not measured at fair value through profit or loss	€ (1,777)	€ (1,606)

The total amount of impairment losses on assets measured at cost.

No definition available.

Name:	bbva_FinancialAssetsMeasuredAtFairValueThroughOtherComprehensiveIncomeDebtSecuritiesImpairmentOrReversalOfImpairment
Namespace Prefix:	bbva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total amount of impairment losses on loans and advances. The amount of financial assets at fair value throught other comprehensive income, corresponding to financial assets at amortized cost. Included in impairment or reversal of impairment on financial assets notmeasured at fair value throught profit or loss

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bbva_Impairmentfinancialassetsatamortisedcost
Namespace Prefix:	bbva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bbva_Impairmentorreversalofimpairmentonfinancialassetsnotmeasuredatfairvaluethroughprofitorlossabstract
Namespace Prefix:	bbva_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The gain on the recovery of loans and advances previously written off.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 85
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_85&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GainOnRecoveryOfLoansAndAdvancesPreviouslyWrittenOff
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of impairment loss on financial assets. [Refer: Financial assets; Impairment loss]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Note Expiry date 2021-01-01
-Name IFRS
-Number 7
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 20
-Subparagraph e
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=7&date=2017-03-02&anchor=para_20_e&doctype=Standard&book=b
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ImpairmentLossOnFinancialAssets
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration