Business

FIS advances $13.5 billion acquisition amid regulatory hurdles in UK

Saturday, 11 October 2025 4:04AM UTC

FIS progresses with its planned $13.5 billion takeover of Global Payments' Issuer Solutions business, overcoming UK regulatory refiling, as part of a strategic push to strengthen its global payment offerings amid complex compliance processes.

FIS has confirmed that its acquisition of Global Payments’ Issuer Solutions business is progressing as planned, despite encountering regulatory challenges that required the company to refile documents with the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The need to submit additional information voluntarily, prompted by the CMA’s request, reflects the complex regulatory environments that often accompany large-scale international financial transactions. FIS has emphasised transparency throughout the process, aiming to keep stakeholders informed and ensure a smooth progression toward completing the deal.

This acquisition is a significant move within the fintech sector, valued at $13.5 billion, and is designed to bolster FIS’ payment product offerings. According to Stephanie Ferris, FIS CEO and President, the transaction is strategic and accretive, expanding the company’s portfolio with profitable ventures that generate recurring revenue and cash flow. Ferris highlighted that acquiring Issuer Solutions replaces a previously non-cash-generating stake with a business that enhances FIS’ payment suite, strengthening its position in the market.

The regulatory hurdle causing the refiling was a result of the initial submission lacking some required details, leading the CMA to pause the statutory timeline until the complete information is received. FIS remains optimistic that these procedural adjustments will not extend the deal beyond the targeted completion date in the first half of 2026. This confidence is rooted in the company’s proactive approach to managing regulatory expectations and readiness to address further compliance queries if necessary.

The Issuer Solutions business acquisition forms part of a broader strategic realignment involving Global Payments. Alongside selling Issuer Solutions to FIS, Global Payments is acquiring Worldpay for $22.7 billion in a separate but related transaction. These moves demonstrate a dynamic and interconnected series of fintech mergers, with Global Payments divesting certain assets while expanding others. The acquisition of Worldpay is expected to create a leading merchant solutions provider, capable of serving over six million customers and processing nearly 94 billion transactions across more than 175 countries.

This reshuffling of assets follows a broader trend within Global Payments toward streamlining its operations and focusing on core businesses. Recently, the company sold its payroll division, Heartland Payroll Solutions, for $1.1 billion as part of this strategic focus. These divestitures align with the company’s intent to sharpen its fintech service offerings.

The financial terms underscore the scale and complexity of these transactions. In addition to the $13.5 billion for Issuer Solutions, FIS is selling its stake in Worldpay back to Global Payments for $6.6 billion, further reflecting the nuanced financial structuring required to optimise both companies’ strategic positions. Market analysts are closely watching these developments, recognising the potential impact on competitive dynamics and technology offerings in the global payments landscape.

Notably, this is not the first time FIS has encountered regulatory scrutiny during major acquisitions. Its previous high-profile purchase of Worldpay in 2019 also faced rigorous examination by various regulatory bodies worldwide, signalling the intricate compliance landscape firms must navigate to complete such deals. Industry observers see current procedural challenges as consistent with past experiences in fintech megamergers, where regulatory diligence is a persistent factor.

In summary, while the process involves careful regulatory navigation and information submissions, FIS and Global Payments are committed to finalising their interconnected transactions promptly. The acquisition of Issuer Solutions is positioned to enhance FIS’ recurring revenues and market offerings, while Global Payments’ Worldpay deal aims to broaden its merchant solution capabilities—both advancing their strategic growth in the competitive fintech arena.

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Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://finance.coin-turk.com/fis-proceeds-with-issuer-solutions-acquisition-despite-regulatory-hurdles/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.fisglobal.com/en/about-us/media-room/press-release/2025/fis-sale-of-worldpay-stake-and-strategic-acquisition-of-global-payments-issuer-solutions-business - FIS has announced the acquisition of Global Payments' Issuer Solutions business for $13.5 billion, aiming to strengthen its position in the fintech sector. The deal is expected to be accretive to FIS' financial metrics, including Adjusted EBITDA margins and Free Cash Flow, and is anticipated to close in the first half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals. This strategic move aligns with FIS' goal to expand its payment product suite and deepen relationships with financial institutions and corporate clients.
https://investors.globalpayments.com/news-releases/news-release-details/global-payments-announces-agreements-acquire-worldpay-and-divest-issuer-solutions - Global Payments has entered into definitive agreements to acquire Worldpay for $22.7 billion and divest its Issuer Solutions business to FIS for $13.5 billion. The acquisition of Worldpay is expected to create a leading merchant solutions provider, serving over 6 million customers and processing approximately 94 billion transactions across more than 175 countries. The transaction is anticipated to close in the first half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
https://www.reuters.com/business/global-payments-sell-payroll-business-acrisure-11-billion-2025-05-28/ - Global Payments announced the sale of its payroll division, Heartland Payroll Solutions, to fintech company Acrisure for $1.1 billion. This move aligns with Global Payments' strategy to streamline its operations and focus on its core payment processing business. The decision follows other recent divestitures, including the sale of its Issuer Solutions unit to FIS for $13.5 billion and its medical software business AdvancedMD to Francisco Partners for $1.13 billion. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2025.
https://www.digitaltransactions.net/global-payments-acquires-worldpay-and-sells-its-issuer-business-to-fis/ - Global Payments has agreed to purchase Worldpay for $22.7 billion and sell its Issuer Solutions unit to FIS for $13.5 billion. The Issuer Solutions unit provides payment processing and technology solutions for credit and debit card issuers. Both deals are expected to close in the first half of 2026, pending regulatory approval. The acquisition of Worldpay is expected to diversify Global Payments' business mix, strengthening its e-commerce and integrated offerings, and expanding its capabilities to serve digital-native customers.
https://www.electronicpaymentsinternational.com/news/global-payments-worldpay-issuer-solutions-fis/ - Global Payments has agreed to acquire Worldpay from private equity firm GTCR and fintech company FIS for a total value of $24.25 billion and divest its Issuer Solutions business to FIS for $13.5 billion. The acquisition will result in a combined entity with the capacity to serve over six million customers, enabling nearly 94 billion transactions and managing around $3.7 trillion in transaction volume across more than 175 countries. Completion of the deals is anticipated in the first half of 2026, contingent on standard closing conditions including regulatory approvals.
https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/fis-buy-global-payments-issuer-solutions-business-135-bln-sell-its-stake-worldpay - FIS has agreed to acquire Global Payments' Issuer Solutions business for an enterprise value of $13.5 billion. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to adjusted earnings in the first 12 months, with more than $125 million of revenue synergies longer-term. Within three years, the purchase is expected to deliver $45 million in incremental revenue synergies and more than $150 million in net EBITDA synergies. Concurrently, FIS has agreed to sell its stake in Worldpay to Global Payments for a pre-tax price of $6.6 billion.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative is recent, dated October 10, 2025, and reports on FIS's acquisition of Global Payments' Issuer Solutions business. The need to refile documents with the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is a new development, indicating the content's freshness. However, similar information was reported in April 2025, suggesting some recycled content. ([nasdaq.com](https://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/fis-provides-update-regulatory-review-issuer-solutions-acquisition-transaction?utm_source=openai)) The article includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.

Quotes check

Score: 7

Notes: The article includes direct quotes from FIS CEO Stephanie Ferris, such as: > "The acquisition of Issuer Solutions is a strategic and accretive transaction." These quotes are consistent with statements made in FIS's press release from April 2025. ([fisglobal.com](https://www.fisglobal.com/about-us/media-room/press-release/2025/fis-sale-of-worldpay-stake-and-strategic-acquisition-of-global-payments-issuer-solutions-business?utm_source=openai)) The repetition of these quotes suggests potential reuse of content.

Source reliability

Score: 4

Notes: The narrative originates from COINTURK FINANCE, a less well-known financial news outlet. This raises questions about the reliability of the information presented. The lack of a clear editorial process and limited online presence of the outlet contribute to the uncertainty.

Plausability check

Score: 6

Notes: The narrative aligns with known facts about FIS's acquisition of Global Payments' Issuer Solutions business and the regulatory challenges faced. However, the reliance on a less reputable source and the recycling of older content raise concerns about the narrative's originality and potential for disinformation.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary: The narrative presents recycled content from April 2025, including direct quotes from FIS's press release, indicating a lack of originality. The reliance on a less reputable source, COINTURK FINANCE, further diminishes the credibility of the information. While the narrative aligns with known facts, the concerns about source reliability and content originality lead to a 'FAIL' verdict with medium confidence.

Fintech
Mergers and acquisitions
Regulatory challenges