Global Payments closed its $24.25 billion acquisition of Worldpay from GTCR and FIS and simultaneously sold its Issuer Solutions business to FIS, completing a three‑way transaction that began in April 2025. The deal, finalized at 07:00 ET on January 12, 2026, adds Worldpay’s merchant‑acquiring platform, processing volume, and global reach to Global Payments’ portfolio while removing the legacy issuer‑processing arm that originated with the TSYS merger.
The combined company will now process roughly $5.1 trillion in payment volume annually—Worldpay’s $3.7 trillion plus Global Payments’ existing $1.4 trillion—serving more than 6 million merchant locations in over 175 countries and handling about 94 billion transactions each year. The scale positions the company as the world’s largest pure‑play merchant‑solutions provider and expands its geographic footprint and product mix.
Management estimates that the transaction will generate $800 million in total synergies, with $600 million in cost savings and $200 million in incremental revenue. Cost synergies arise from eliminating duplicate back‑office functions, consolidating data centers, and streamlining vendor contracts, while revenue synergies come from cross‑selling Worldpay’s global merchant network to Global Payments’ software‑centric clients and leveraging Worldpay’s embedded‑payments capabilities to accelerate adoption of higher‑margin solutions.
CEO Cameron Bready said the deal “expands our capabilities and increases our geographic reach while providing additional, complementary distribution channels—multiplying what’s possible for our clients and partners.” He added that the transaction “allows us to focus 100 % of our $5 billion annual capital allocation on merchant solutions, driving higher‑margin software and embedded‑payments investments.” The divestiture frees management and capital to pursue growth in the higher‑margin merchant segment and supports a shift toward software‑driven revenue streams.
Financially, Global Payments plans to maintain its investment‑grade credit ratings and reduce adjusted net leverage to 3.0× within 18 to 24 months. The company will invest more than $1 billion annually in innovation, targeting embedded‑payments platforms and AI‑powered commerce solutions that can scale across its expanded merchant base. The transaction also secures regulatory approvals from the UK Competition and Markets Authority and the European Commission, and preserves a minority stake for private‑equity firm GTCR, which will continue to participate in the combined entity’s future growth.
The sale of Issuer Solutions marks the exit of the former TSYS operations, completing Global Payments’ strategic pivot to a pure‑play merchant‑solutions business. The combined entity’s expanded scale, diversified product portfolio, and focused capital allocation position it to capture growth in digital payments, omnichannel commerce, and embedded finance while delivering higher margins and shareholder returns.
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