SPAIN Trends and Developments Contributed by: Miguel Bolivar Tejedo, Daniel Gurrea Boix, Esther Mont Soria and Antonio Coello Luna, Anaford Abogados
Structural strengths There are several factors that suggest that, in 2026, Spain will continue to establish itself as a leading global destination for business development. Spain’s appeal stems from numerous structural strengths and advantages, as well as optimal macroeconomic con - ditions. • Strategic hub: Spain is one of the main hotspots for corporate and financial links between the EU and the Latin American market, attracting both (i) global multinational corporations and (ii) corpora - tions from the Latin American region seeking to establish operational and strategic bases in the country. The cultural and linguistic affinity shared with Latin American countries offers a unique com - petitive advantage. In February 2026, the Ibero- American Business Observatory, together with the Complutense Institute of International Studies at the Complutense University of Madrid, reported that Spain has the second-highest number of springboard companies of Latin American origin worldwide, behind only the United States. • Sectors for FDI: The Ministry of the Economy shows on its open data portal (DataInvex) that, with respect to FDI in Spain during 2026, there is a clear pattern of capital allocation to high value-added sectors. International capital is prioritising informa - tion technology and telecommunications, driven by data centres and the boom in AI. Close behind is the energy transition and massive-scale sustain - ability projects, largely thanks to the development of green hydrogen infrastructure and solar farms. These investments benefit from strong regulatory support and decarbonisation incentives. Finally, the high-tech industrial manufacturing sector and the pharmaceutical industry round out the top three investment attractions, reinforcing Spain’s posi - tion as a strategic industrial and technological hub within the EU. • Ripening of the start-up ecosystem: The tech- based business landscape is highly consolidated, supported by a dense network of incubators and accelerators. In Spain, high-performance cen - tres are increasingly being seen, not only provid - ing seed capital but also acting as commercial validation hubs, helping start-ups achieve a 70% survival rate in their first five years. Some of the
dence and work permits that allow foreign profes - sionals to live in Spain whilst working remotely for companies or clients outside the country. One of the main attractions of this visa is access to a special tax regime, popularly known as the “Beck - ham Law”, which has been modified as follows: (i) instead of paying the standard progressive per - sonal income tax (which can exceed 47%), digital nomads and foreign workers are taxed at a flat rate of 24% on employment income not exceed - ing EUR600,000 per year; and (ii) certain foreign- sourced income, such as dividends, rental income or capital gains obtained outside Spain, is not usually subject to taxation in Spain. • European funds: Spain’s ambitious plan for large- scale digitalisation, supported by Next Generation EU funds and implemented through tools such as Kit Digital, has resulted in a massive indirect injection of liquidity into the domestic market. This financial stimulus has altered the landscape of self-employment in two major ways: (i) encourag - ing the formation of companies – thousands of self-employed workers in the IT, marketing and consultancy sectors have transformed their indi - vidual businesses into limited companies to gain financial strength and access larger-scale projects; and (ii) a boom in the B2B system – there has been a huge increase in the number of micro-enterprises focused exclusively on meeting the operational needs of traditional SMEs, which are being driven towards accelerated digitalisation to remain com - petitive. Future Trends Addressing Spain’s structural strengths remains essential when analysing future trends regarding busi - ness incorporation in the country, as outlined herein. Furthermore, from a regulatory standpoint, Spain (in accordance with the legislative changes over the last decade outlined above) continues to consolidate its standing as a pioneer in corporate law tailored to 21st century demands. Accordingly, the overarching trend towards establishing a more transparent and public environment for business creation is explored below (“Potential regulatory changes”).
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