Another Big Shuffle in Fintech: Global Payments Reclaims Worldpay
In what’s shaping up to be one of the biggest payments deals of 2025, Global Payments is set to acquire Worldpay—again. This time, from FIS and its private equity partner GTCR, for a reported $24.25 billion.
As part of the transaction, Global Payments is offloading its Issuer Solutions business back to FIS for $13.5 billion. The message is clear: it's doubling down on its core strength—merchant services and card acquiring.
This is more than a reshuffling of assets. It’s a strategic move aimed at staying competitive in an industry that’s rapidly evolving.
A Quick Flashback: Worldpay’s M&A Journey (and Missteps)
Worldpay’s been down this road before—multiple times. It’s changed hands in multi-billion-dollar deals, but the outcomes haven’t always lived up to the hype:
- In 2017, Vantiv bought Worldpay for about $10.4 billion, creating Worldpay Inc.
- In 2019, FIS bought it for a staggering $48 billion. Just four years later, FIS had to write down $17 billion related to the acquisition.
Why the shortfall? Mismatched strategies, failed synergies, and a lack of integration between retail-focused services and enterprise infrastructure. It was a costly reminder that size doesn’t guarantee fit.
Why This Acquisition Matters Right Now
There’s more at stake here than another fintech merger headline. Global Payments is eyeing several strategic wins:
1. Bigger Share of Merchant Acquiring
2. Leverage with Visa & Mastercard
3. Competing against Stripe, Adyen, and PayPal
It’s a critical pivot aimed at relevance and resilience in a sector that rewards agility.
What Global Payments Might Do Differently
Unlike the FIS deal, which tried to cover both merchant and issuer services under one roof, Global Payments is going lean. By divesting issuer operations, it’s narrowing the focus to acquiring and merchant enablement—right where its strength lies.
Expect deeper investments in:
- POS technology and omnichannel solutions
- Advanced fraud and risk tools
- APIs for fintechs and marketplaces
- B2B payments infrastructure
Top 5 Fintech M&A and Investment Highlights of 2025 (So Far)
Here’s a look at the biggest fintech deals and investments shaking up the space:
1. Global Payments buys Worldpay – $24.25B acquisition
2. Rocket Companies acquires Mr. Cooper Group – $9.4B
3. Stripe invests $1.1B to acquire Bridge
4. Clearwater Analytics acquires Enfusion – $1.5B
5. Revolut raises $1.8B to expand BaaS, credit, and US reach
Final Thoughts
Global Payments is hoping this time will be different. The $24B price tag comes with heavy expectations—but also a lot of potential. The market is watching to see whether this becomes a textbook turnaround or another case of too much, too fast.
Want to understand how deals like this impact your acquiring model or card scheme play? Let’s talk. Book a call with our team
