Debt Collection Agencies: Market Overview in Romania, the Czech Republic, Spain, and Mexico
- MD Finance Team
- Dec 19, 2025
- 2 min read
The ability to recover debt efficiently is a cornerstone of a healthy financial system. As regulatory pressure increases and technology reshapes traditional models, debt collection markets are undergoing a significant transformation across Europe and Latin America.
In our latest Debt Collection Agencies Market Overview, MD Finance analyzes four key markets—Romania, the Czech Republic, Spain, and Mexico—to understand how regulation, efficiency, and scale are redefining the industry.
Different Markets, Very Different Dynamics
While debt collection exists across all four markets, their structures and maturity levels vary widely:
Spain stands out for its sheer scale, managing nearly €460 billion in debt. However, this size comes with long recovery cycles and relatively low recovery efficiency, reflecting a portfolio-heavy and highly institutionalized market.
Romania and the Czech Republic, despite being smaller, demonstrate significantly higher recovery-to-managed debt ratios, exceeding 20%. These markets benefit from more focused portfolios, tighter operational control, and clearer regulatory oversight.
Mexico presents a contrasting picture: a highly fragmented market with over 1,800 debt collection agencies, limited public data on debt volumes, and conduct-focused regulation rather than licensing-based oversight.
Regulation Is Raising the Bar
Recent regulatory developments are reshaping how debt collection agencies operate:
Romania and the Czech Republic have implemented EU-aligned frameworks requiring authorization and supervision of credit servicers and NPL managers, increasing entry barriers but also improving market discipline.
Spain has introduced stricter debtor-protection rules, including mandatory pre-litigation settlement attempts and tighter constraints on phone-based outreach.
Mexico continues to rely on ex-post supervision, with complaint-driven enforcement and mandatory registration of third-party collectors.
Overall, the trend is clear: compliance, transparency, and responsible conduct are no longer optional.
Technology and AI Are Redefining Collection Models
Investor activity highlights where the sector is heading. Recent funding rounds show strong appetite for AI-powered debt collection platforms, automation, and digital recovery infrastructure. Call bots, data-driven segmentation, and omnichannel communication are gaining traction.
These innovations are not just about cost reduction; they are becoming essential tools for improving recovery efficiency while maintaining compliance and customer trust.
Read the full Debt Collection Agencies Market Overview to explore detailed data, charts, and country-level insights.