Global Payments Buys Worldpay for $22.7B in Giant Deal
Global Payments acquires Worldpay for $22.7 billion in massive deal that will reshape merchant services and create payment processing giant.
By Staff Reporter | Acquirernews.com
ATLANTA – April 17, 2025
Global Payments will buy rival payment processor Worldpay for $22.7 billion in a massive deal announced Thursday that creates a global payment processing giant.
The Atlanta-based company announced the buy Thursday. It also will sell its Issuer Solutions unit to FIS for $13.5 billion. The deals are expected to close in early 2026.
The moves reshape Global Payments into a pure merchant services firm. The new company will serve more than 6 million customers across 175 countries. It will process $3.7 trillion in yearly payment volume and 94 billion transactions.
“Today marks a defining day for Global Payments,” CEO Cameron Bready said. “This deal gives us expanded capabilities and scale.”
But investors were not happy. Global Payments stock fell 17% after the news. Many worry about the cost and risks of such a big buy.
Deal Creates Payment Processing Leader
The purchase combines two major players in merchant services. Global Payments excels with small and mid-size businesses. Worldpay leads in enterprise and online commerce.
Private equity firm GTCR and FIS currently own Worldpay. GTCR bought its stake from FIS in 2023 for about $18.5 billion. FIS had bought Worldpay in 2019 for $43 billion.
Under the new deal, GTCR will get 59% cash and 41% stock. It will own 15% of Global Payments after the deal closes.
“We are proud of the work we did with Worldpay,” said Collin Roche, GTCR co-CEO. “We look forward to staying involved as partners.”
Global Payments expects big savings from the deal. It forecasts $600 million in annual cost cuts within three years. It also sees $200 million in new revenue opportunities.
Financing and Future Plans
Global Payments will use cash from selling its Issuer Solutions unit to help pay for Worldpay. It also will issue $7.7 billion in new debt.
The company expects net debt of 3.5 times earnings after the deal. It plans to cut that to 3.0 times within two years.
The deals need approval from regulators. Both transactions must close at the same time.
Worldpay CEO Charles Drucker said his team is excited about joining Global Payments. The combined company will invest in new technology and products.
“We will continue to strengthen our e-commerce offering,” Drucker said.
The merger comes as payment companies face more competition. Firms like Stripe, PayPal and Block are growing fast. Traditional processors need scale to compete.
Analysts have mixed views on the deal. Some question whether Global Payments can handle such a large buy. The company has done more than 20 deals in recent years.
Others see the move as smart. The combined firm will have strength in both small business and enterprise markets.
“This deal could work if done right,” said Don Apgar of Javelin Strategy. “Both companies have different strengths that could fit well together.”
The payment processing industry continues to consolidate as companies seek scale and new technology. This deal ranks among the largest ever in the sector.
