GTCR Completes Sale of Worldpay to Global Payments

GTCR announced the closing of the previously disclosed sale of Worldpay to Global Payments (NYSE: GPN) as part of a three-way transaction that also involved FIS (NYSE: FIS) acquiring Global Payments' Issuer Solutions business.

Rhea-AI Summary

GTCR announced the closing of the previously disclosed sale of Worldpay to Global Payments (NYSE: GPN) as part of a three-way transaction that also involved FIS (NYSE: FIS) acquiring Global Payments' Issuer Solutions business. The transaction provided $24.25 billion in cash and stock consideration and positions Worldpay within the combined Global Payments platform.

As part of the deal, GTCR will own approximately 15% of Global Payments' equity capitalization, enabling it to participate in projected synergies and future value creation from the combined business.

Positive

• Transaction consideration of $24.25 billion
• GTCR to hold approximately 15% of Global Payments equity capitalization
• Deal integrates Worldpay into Global Payments and transfers Issuer Solutions to FIS
• Sale described as one of the largest strategic sales in private equity history

Negative

• None.

Argus Jan 12 session

-0.90% close to close Open Argus

Details

News Market Reaction – FIS

On Jan 12, the day this news came out, FIS closed 0.90% below the previous close.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus for the Jan 12 session.

Key Figures

Worldpay deal value: $24.25 billion Equity stake in GPN: 15% Worldpay stake acquisition date: July 2023 +1 more

Worldpay deal value

$24.25 billion

Cash and stock consideration for Global Payments’ acquisition of Worldpay

Equity stake in GPN

15%

Approximate Global Payments equity capitalization GTCR will own post-transaction

Worldpay stake acquisition date

July 2023

GTCR acquired majority stake in Worldpay from FIS

Partnership duration

two years

GTCR–Worldpay leadership transformation period referenced by CEO Drucker

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Dec 11

5 events

1. Dec 11

   Industry recognition

   24h Move

   +1.0%

   Named a Leader in Gartner Magic Quadrant for retail core banking.

2. Dec 10

   AI research insight

   24h Move

   +2.2%

   Released UK consumer research on AI use and trust in financial services.

3. Nov 25

   Client win/tech

   24h Move

   +1.9%

   Implemented deposits-as-a-service platform for BMW Bank’s digital transformation.

4. Nov 24

   Conference participation

   24h Move

   +1.9%

   Announced participation in UBS Global Technology & AI Conference.

5. Nov 20

   Industry award

   24h Move

   -0.5%

   Won IDC 2025 SaaS customer satisfaction award for treasury management.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

merchant acquiring, payments processing, issuer solutions, carveout

4 terms

merchant acquiring financial

"Worldpay (the "Company"), a global leader in merchant acquiring and payments processing"

Merchant acquiring is the process by which businesses accept electronic payments from customers, typically through credit or debit cards. It involves a partnership with a financial service provider that handles the technology and security needed to process these transactions. For investors, merchant acquiring is important because it generates steady revenue streams for financial companies and indicates the health of consumer spending activity.

payments processing financial

"a global leader in merchant acquiring and payments processing, to Global Payments"

Payments processing is the behind-the-scenes system that moves money and information when someone pays with a card, app, or other electronic method — like a traffic controller routing funds from buyer to seller and confirming the transaction. It matters to investors because it produces steady fee or transaction-based revenue, scales with consumer activity, and carries operational, security and regulatory risks that affect profitability and growth.

issuer solutions financial

"FIS simultaneously agreed to acquire Global Payments' Issuer Solutions business"

Issuer solutions are the set of tools and services that help a company issue and manage its stocks, bonds or other securities and meet ongoing regulatory and investor communication requirements. They include things like paperwork handling, shareholder record-keeping, disclosure support and platforms for raising capital — like a toolkit and back-office team that keeps the mechanics running. Investors care because strong issuer solutions reduce legal and operational risk, help ensure timely and accurate information, and can make a company’s securities easier to trade and evaluate.

carveout technical

""This complex carveout and successful transformation of Worldpay over the past two years""

A carveout is when a company separates and sells or lists a specific business unit, product line, or asset as its own entity so it can operate independently. Think of it like selling or renting out one room in a house rather than the whole property; it can unlock value, clarify the remaining company’s focus and risk, create a new investment opportunity, and produce one-time proceeds or changed financials that matter to shareholders and analysts.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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CHICAGO, Jan. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- GTCR, a leading private equity firm, announced today that it has closed the previously announced sale of Worldpay (the "Company"), a global leader in merchant acquiring and payments processing, to Global Payments (NYSE: GPN) as part of a transformative three-way transaction. The sale of Worldpay represents one of the largest strategic sales in the history of the private equity industry.

In April 2025, GTCR signed a definitive agreement under which Global Payments agreed to acquire Worldpay from GTCR and FIS (NYSE: FIS) for $24.25 billion of cash and stock, while FIS simultaneously agreed to acquire Global Payments' Issuer Solutions business. As part of the transaction, GTCR will own shares representing approximately 15% of Global Payments' equity capitalization, allowing it to participate in value creation from the synergy achievement and transformative growth of the combined business.

GTCR acquired a majority stake in Worldpay in July 2023 from FIS through a Leaders Strategy™ partnership with industry-veteran CEO Charles Drucker with a thesis of re-accelerating growth. Together, GTCR, Mr. Drucker, and the Worldpay leadership team effected a seamless transition from FIS and successfully executed a strategic transformation of the Company focused on technology investments, enhancing products and services, and driving operational excellence across the organization.  

"Our partnership with CEO Charles Drucker and the Worldpay team over the last two years illustrates the value of our Leaders Strategy™ approach and expertise executing complex transactions to drive transformational change and growth in businesses of all sizes," said Collin Roche, Co-CEO and Managing Director of GTCR.  "We look forward to continuing to participate in the growth and success of the combined business and supporting its ongoing evolution as a leader in payments and payments technology worldwide."

"The closing of this transaction marks an important milestone as Worldpay joins Global Payments, advancing a shared commitment to innovation across the combined business," said Drucker. "Working in close collaborative partnership with GTCR and through the tremendous efforts of our talented Worldpay colleagues, we were able to significantly expand our global processing capabilities and bring new payment innovations to market. These collective efforts have strengthened Worldpay's competitive position, accelerated growth, and created a differentiated platform for continued success in the marketplace. I'm immensely proud of all that we have accomplished together."

"We have tremendous confidence in the future of the combined business, including its ability to compete and deliver value in the payments and payment technology market," said Aaron Cohen, Managing Director and Head of Financial Services & Technology at GTCR. "This transaction reflects the hard work and collaboration of all parties involved – we deeply appreciate the leadership from Charles and the Worldpay team, as well as the partnership with FIS, that made this successful outcome possible."

"Today's closing represents the tireless work of many parties, including Worldpay's leadership team, FIS, and Global Payments," added KJ McConnell, Managing Director at GTCR. "This complex carveout and successful transformation of Worldpay over the past two years underscores GTCR's longstanding track record in the payments industry and our ability to execute complex corporate separations to unlock meaningful, lasting value for stakeholders. This transaction is a powerful example of our Leaders Strategy™ in action – identifying exceptional opportunities and working in partnership with management to drive transformative growth."

Wells Fargo and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC acted as financial advisors to Worldpay. Kirkland & Ellis LLP provided legal counsel, and Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP and Paul Hastings LLP served as regulatory counsel.

About GTCR

Founded in 1980, GTCR is a leading private equity firm that invests behind The Leaders Strategy™ – finding and partnering with management leaders in core domains to identify, acquire and build market-leading companies through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. GTCR is focused on investing in transformative growth in companies in the Business & Consumer Services, Financial Services & Technology, Healthcare and Technology, Media & Telecommunications sectors. Since its inception, GTCR has invested more than $30 billion in approximately 300 companies, and the firm currently manages approximately $50 billion in equity capital. GTCR is based in Chicago with offices in New York and West Palm Beach. For more information, please visit www.gtcr.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.

About Worldpay

Worldpay is an industry leading payments technology and solutions company with unique capabilities to power omni-commerce across the globe. Our processing solutions allow businesses of all sizes to take, make and manage payments in-person and online from anywhere in the world. Annually, we process over 55 billion transactions across 174 countries and 138 currencies. We help our customers become more efficient, more secure and more successful. To learn more, visit worldpay.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, and or Facebook.

GTCR Media Contact

Josh Clarkson / Ryan Smith / Peter Gavaris
Josh

Pro-GTCR@Prosek.com

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SOURCE GTCR

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What did GTCR announce about Worldpay on January 12, 2026?

GTCR announced closing the sale of Worldpay to Global Payments as part of a three-way transaction with FIS.

How much was the Worldpay transaction worth and what was the consideration?

The transaction comprised $24.25 billion of cash and stock consideration.

What stake will GTCR hold in Global Payments after the Worldpay sale?

GTCR will own shares representing approximately 15% of Global Payments' equity capitalization.

What did FIS receive as part of the three-way transaction with Global Payments and GTCR?

FIS agreed to acquire Global Payments' Issuer Solutions business as part of the transaction.

How did GTCR describe the strategic significance of the Worldpay sale?

GTCR described the sale as one of the largest strategic sales in private equity history and highlighted expected synergy-driven value creation.