Mexican banks: between gasoline relief and money laundering sanctions
The Association of Banks of Mexico (ABM) came out with a speech of strength at its annual convention in Cancun. But between the promises to facilitate digital payments at gas stations and the growth forecasts, there was an elephant in the room: two Mexican banks under the scrutiny of the US Treasury.
Emilio Romano, president of the ABM, announced that digital payment facilities will be granted to service stations. A measure that, according to him, is added to the government subsidy and the cap on a liter of regular gasoline at 24 pesos.
“The current international situation represents a risk for Mexico’s economic growth goals in 2026,” admitted Romano.
The forecast is not brilliant: just 1.5% GDP growth projected for that year. Although the official discourse insists on “macroeconomic solidity” and “stock market stability.”
Credit grows more than the economy
Meanwhile, bank credit continues its march. In 2025 it grew by 4% and by 2026 they expect 4.7%. The figure that really catches your attention is this: in the last three years, credit growth has been 3.6 times higher than that of the economy.
By 2030, they project that new credit will reach 4.3 trillion pesos. An impressive number that contrasts with that modest economic growth of 1.5%.
But not everything is good news in the sector. The United States Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on three financial entities, two of them Mexican, for alleged money laundering.
Romano assured that they maintain direct communication with the US authorities and have implemented binational systems to prevent these practices. Meanwhile, CIBanco closed operations and Intercam transferred part of its business to Kapital Bank.
Despite the complex outlook, the tone was optimistic. They announced that the CNBV will publish regulatory modifications to facilitate access to microcredits, which would benefit more than 36 million people and 280,000 companies.
The convention brought together more than a thousand financial representatives. A space where there was a lot of talk about how to boost investment and credit… while two Mexican banks navigate turbulent waters due to serious accusations from the north.
