Global Payments
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA multinational financial technology company providing payment processing and commerce software to merchants, financial institutions, issuers, and consumers.
Last updated August 27, 2026
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Overview
Global Payments is a United States-based financial technology company that provides payment and commerce infrastructure to merchants, financial institutions, card issuers, and consumers. Its services support payments made with credit cards, debit cards, digital wallets, contactless methods, and other electronic channels. The company operates across merchant acquiring, payment processing, issuer services, integrated payments, e-commerce, and selected business and consumer financial products. The business originated in the payment-processing activities of National Data Corporation. It was established in 1996 and became an independent publicly traded company following its spin-off from National Data Corporation in 2001. Since then, Global Payments has expanded through a combination of international growth, technology development, and acquisitions of processors, payment gateways, software providers, and vertical-market platforms. It has used acquisitions to build capabilities in areas such as online payments, education payments, healthcare software, hospitality and retail technology, and small-business commerce tools. Important transactions shaped the company’s modern scale. It acquired United Card Service in Russia in 2009 and later expanded that business through the purchase of Alfa-Bank’s card-processing unit. During the 2010s, it added Accelerated Payment Technologies, Ezidebit in Australia, PayPros in the United States, and Realex Payments in Ireland. The 2016 acquisition of Heartland Payment Systems for approximately $4.3 billion substantially increased its merchant-services presence in North America and led to the relocation of its headquarters from Sandy Springs to Atlanta, Georgia. Global Payments subsequently added businesses connected with Active Network, AdvancedMD, and Sentral Education. In 2019, Global Payments merged with Total System Services, commonly known as TSYS, in a transaction announced at an enterprise value of approximately $21.5 billion. The combination strengthened the company’s issuer-processing and financial-institution capabilities while preserving a broad merchant-solutions business. TSYS became a major part of the company’s Issuer Solutions operations. The company agreed in 2022 to acquire EVO Payments, a transaction intended to broaden its merchant-acquiring footprint and international reach. Cameron M. Bready became chief executive officer and president in June 2023 after Jeffrey M. Sloan’s departure. During 2024, the company undertook significant workforce reductions across several countries as part of an efficiency and restructuring effort. In 2025, Global Payments agreed to acquire Worldpay from FIS and GTCR while separately agreeing to sell its TSYS Issuer Solutions business to FIS. The reference material describes the Worldpay transaction as subsequently completed in January 2026 after regulatory approvals, with a final transaction value of approximately $24.25 billion. Because the transaction’s completion and final value are time-sensitive, they should be checked against current company and regulatory disclosures. Global Payments’ strategic direction is therefore centered on a more focused merchant-solutions and payment-technology platform, supported by international acquiring, integrated software, omnichannel commerce, and relationships with financial institutions.
History
Global Payments was established in 1996 from payment-processing activities associated with National Data Corporation. It became an independent public company when it was spun off from National Data Corporation in 2001, and its shares began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol GPN. The company’s early expansion included international payment processing. In 2009, it acquired United Card Service, described in the reference material as a leading Russian credit-card processor. United Card Service later acquired the credit-card-processing unit of Alfa-Bank in 2011. Global Payments continued expanding its merchant and gateway capabilities through the acquisition of Accelerated Payment Technologies in 2012, Australian processor Ezidebit in 2014, California-based Payment Processing, also known as PayPros, in 2015, and Irish gateway company Realex Payments in the same year. The acquisition of Heartland Payment Systems closed on April 25, 2016, for approximately $4.3 billion. Heartland strengthened Global Payments’ merchant-services position, particularly in North America. In the same year, the company moved its headquarters from Sandy Springs to Atlanta, Georgia. Subsequent transactions broadened its vertical software and payments portfolio: Global Payments initiated the acquisition of divisions of Active Network in 2017 and completed acquisitions of AdvancedMD and Sentral Education in 2018. On May 28, 2019, Global Payments announced a proposed combination with Total System Services, or TSYS. The merger agreement was completed on September 18, 2019, in a transaction valued at approximately $21.5 billion. The combined company served merchants and financial institutions and operated across merchant solutions, issuer solutions, and business and consumer products. TSYS became particularly important to the issuer-processing side of the business. Global Payments also faced operational and legal challenges during its development. A 2012 data breach affected approximately 1.5 million payment-card numbers and generated significant costs. In 2015, a technical failure interrupted card acceptance for thousands of British businesses. In 2019, Heartland Payment Systems was named in litigation concerning fees associated with its MySchoolBucks education-payment platform. These events illustrate the operational, security, and disclosure risks inherent in large-scale payment infrastructure. In August 2022, Global Payments agreed to acquire EVO Payments for nearly $4 billion. In 2023, CEO Jeffrey M. Sloan announced his resignation, and Cameron M. Bready became CEO and president on June 1. Rather than appointing a single chief operating officer in the subsequent structure described by the reference material, the company divided operating responsibilities between senior executives overseeing United States merchant operations and international and vertical markets. Beginning in early 2024, Global Payments implemented layoffs across multiple regions, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and India. The reference material estimates that approximately 5,400 employees were affected. The reductions occurred while the company continued reporting quarterly financial results and pursuing a more focused operating model. In April 2025, Global Payments agreed to acquire Worldpay from FIS and GTCR and to sell its Issuer Solutions business to FIS. The proposed transactions would shift the company toward a more concentrated merchant-solutions platform while transferring TSYS’s issuer-processing activities to FIS. The reference material states that the Worldpay acquisition was completed in January 2026 after regulatory approvals, with a final transaction value of approximately $24.25 billion. That completion date and value should be verified against current filings because they are later, time-sensitive corporate facts.
- 2025
Worldpay acquisition and TSYS divestiture announced
[1]Global Payments agreed to acquire Worldpay and sell its Issuer Solutions business to FIS.
- 2023
CEO succession
[1]Cameron M. Bready became chief executive officer and president, succeeding Jeffrey M. Sloan.
- 2022
EVO Payments transaction announced
[1]Global Payments entered an agreement to acquire EVO Payments for nearly $4 billion.
- 2019
TSYS merger completed
[1]Global Payments completed its approximately $21.5 billion merger with Total System Services.
- 2016
Heartland Payment Systems acquired
[1]The company completed its approximately $4.3 billion acquisition of Heartland Payment Systems and moved its headquarters to Atlanta.
- 2009
United Card Service acquisition
[1]Global Payments acquired United Card Service, a Russian card-processing company.
- 2001
Spin-off and public listing
[1]The company became independent through a spin-off from National Data Corporation and traded publicly on the New York Stock Exchange under GPN.
- 1996
Company established
[1]Global Payments was founded from payment-processing activities associated with National Data Corporation.
Products and positioning
A large, enterprise-oriented payments and commerce-technology provider serving merchants, software platforms, banks, card issuers, and selected consumer-finance markets.
Integrated payments
Global Payments Integrated
A payments capability designed to be embedded into software platforms and business applications. It connects payment acceptance with vertical software, helping merchants manage transactions within the systems they already use. The offering reflects Global Payments’ strategy of combining acquiring infrastructure with software relationships rather than relying only on standalone card terminals.
Issuer processing
TSYS
TSYS is the issuer-processing and payment-services business acquired through Global Payments’ 2019 merger with Total System Services. It supports financial institutions and card issuers with processing, program administration, and related technology. Reference material states that Global Payments agreed in 2025 to sell this Issuer Solutions business to FIS.
Merchant services
Heartland Payment Systems
Heartland is the merchant-services platform acquired by Global Payments in 2016. It provides payment acceptance and related technology for businesses and has also supported specialized services, including education payments through MySchoolBucks. Its integration expanded Global Payments’ presence among North American merchants.
Payment gateway
Realex Payments
Realex Payments was an Ireland-based payment-gateway provider acquired by Global Payments in 2015. Its capabilities supported online payment acceptance and helped strengthen Global Payments’ European e-commerce and gateway operations.
Healthcare software and payments
AdvancedMD
AdvancedMD is a healthcare technology business acquired by Global Payments in 2018. It provides practice-management and related software capabilities for healthcare providers, giving Global Payments exposure to vertical software and integrated healthcare payments.
Education payments
MySchoolBucks
MySchoolBucks is an online school-payment service operated by Heartland Payment Systems. It enables families to make payments connected with school services, including meal programs, and is used by schools and parents in the United States.
Controversies
Brand decisions
2025
Acquire Worldpay and sell Issuer SolutionsM&ABackground
Global Payments pursued a more focused merchant-solutions strategy while separating its issuer-processing activities.
Action taken
It agreed to acquire Worldpay from FIS and GTCR and sell its Issuer Solutions business, including TSYS, to FIS.
Aftermath
The reference material states that the Worldpay acquisition was completed in January 2026 after regulatory approvals; the completion details require verification against current filings.
Announced transaction values. Worldpay acquisition approximately $22 billion; Issuer Solutions sale approximately $13.5 billion (2025)
2023
Change operating leadership structureStrategyBackground
Following the CEO succession, the company did not announce a single replacement chief operating officer.
Action taken
Operational responsibilities were described as being divided between senior executives overseeing United States merchant operations and international and vertical-market activities.
Aftermath
The structure placed separate leadership emphasis on domestic and international operations.
2022
Agree to acquire EVO PaymentsM&ABackground
The transaction was intended to broaden Global Payments’ acquiring presence and international merchant coverage.
Action taken
Global Payments entered a definitive agreement to acquire EVO Payments for nearly $4 billion.
Transaction value. Nearly $4 billion (2022)
2019
Merge with TSYSM&ABackground
The combination was intended to unite Global Payments’ merchant-solutions business with TSYS’s issuer-processing and financial-institution capabilities.
Action taken
Global Payments and Total System Services completed their merger under an agreement valued at approximately $21.5 billion.
Aftermath
TSYS became a major component of Global Payments’ Issuer Solutions segment.
Transaction value. Approximately $21.5 billion (2019)
2016
Acquire Heartland Payment SystemsM&ABackground
Global Payments sought to expand its merchant-services scale and North American acquiring capabilities.
Action taken
It completed the acquisition of Heartland Payment Systems for approximately $4.3 billion.
Aftermath
Heartland became a significant part of the merchant-solutions platform, and Global Payments moved its headquarters to Atlanta.
Transaction value. Approximately $4.3 billion (2016)
Recent events
Reported
GoCrypto integrated into Global Payments’ GP tom app[3]
GoCrypto partnered with Global Payments s.r.o.; its payment solution was integrated into the GP tom mobile application, enabling merchants to accept cryptocurrency payments. The source said the app with GoCrypto would launch in Romania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia that month.
Sources3 sources
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