CaixaBank has strengthened its strategic partnership with Palo Alto Networks to improve its defenses against threats linked to advanced artificial intelligence.
The Spanish bank said the agreement will run until 2030. The extended deal includes new lines of work aimed at protecting the bank in a more complex risk environment. It forms part of CaixaBank’s broader technology plan, under which the group plans to invest €5 billion in technology through its “Cosmos” program. The partnership is intended to strengthen the bank’s digital security and resilience.
CaixaBank said AI models are changing both defense capabilities and the sophistication of cyberattacks. The bank is relying on Palo Alto Networks, a California-based cybersecurity company listed on the Nasdaq, to integrate advanced technologies on an ongoing basis. Palo Alto Networks has more than 20,000 employees and provides AI-enabled security solutions widely used in the financial sector.
Under the agreement, the two companies will work on joint projects focused on active defense. This includes specialized working groups that will develop attack and defense methodologies based on artificial intelligence. The deal also provides for closer technical collaboration, with workstreams focused on cybersecurity innovation and the continuous development of the group’s protection capabilities.
The move comes as CaixaBank has stepped up its use of AI in cybersecurity. The bank has been deploying specialized AI agents to support its security teams in analysis, investigation, and operations. It has also reported a 46% increase in cyberattacks in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier and said it would allocate an additional €140 million this year to strengthen technology security programs.
CaixaBank is the only Spanish financial institution participating in two European projects, VIGILANCE and CYBERAID, which focus on protecting critical infrastructure using AI and other advanced technologies. The bank has also adjusted its internal cybersecurity structure to address challenges linked to AI and quantum computing.
CaixaBank said working with a technology partner such as Palo Alto Networks will help it prepare for new challenges and support a security model that can adapt to a changing technological environment. The extended partnership is part of the bank’s wider effort to keep pace with both the defensive opportunities and the new risks created by artificial intelligence.
