FIS Provides Regulatory Update on Issuer Solutions Acquisition; Transaction Remains on Track for First Half of 2026
FIS® (NYSE: FIS), a leading global provider of financial services technology, today announced an update regarding the regulatory review of its planned acquisition of Global Payments’ Issuer Solutions business. The company emphasized that while it is taking proactive steps to provide additional information to the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) as part of the review process, the overall transaction timeline remains on track to close in the first half of 2026.
This update comes amid increasing scrutiny of financial technology mergers in key global markets, reflecting both the complexity of regulatory approvals and the strategic significance of FIS’s planned expansion. The Issuer Solutions business of Global Payments represents a critical complement to FIS’s growing suite of issuer-facing products and services, strengthening its capabilities in digital banking, card issuing, and financial technology solutions for global clients.
Regulatory Context and CMA Review
As part of the routine process for cross-border acquisitions, FIS’s planned acquisition of Global Payments’ Issuer Solutions business is subject to review by various regulatory authorities, including the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The CMA is tasked with ensuring that mergers and acquisitions do not reduce competition, harm consumers, or create undue market concentration in financial services and payment technologies.
In the normal course of the CMA’s review, FIS identified additional information that will support the regulator’s assessment of the proposed transaction. The company will provide this information through a refiled UK Merger Notice, a standard procedural step that ensures the CMA has comprehensive data on the transaction’s structure, market impacts, and potential benefits to stakeholders.
FIS has emphasized that this step is proactive and procedural, aimed at expediting regulatory review rather than signaling any substantive concern with the transaction. The company maintains confidence that these additional filings will not affect the previously announced projected timeline for the acquisition to close during the first half of 2026.
Strategic Significance of the Acquisition
The planned acquisition of Global Payments’ Issuer Solutions business represents a transformational expansion for FIS, reinforcing its position as a global leader in financial services technology. The Issuer Solutions portfolio includes advanced card issuing, digital banking solutions, fraud management tools, and customer engagement platforms that are highly complementary to FIS’s existing capabilities.
By integrating these solutions, FIS is expected to:
- Enhance Issuer Capabilities: Strengthen its offerings to banks, credit unions, and financial institutions in card issuing, digital banking, and payment processing.
- Expand Market Reach: Broaden its presence in key regions, including Europe and Asia-Pacific, where Global Payments’ Issuer Solutions has a significant footprint.
- Accelerate Innovation: Integrate cutting-edge technology and analytics to support next-generation payment solutions, loyalty programs, and real-time fraud prevention.
- Drive Operational Synergies: Leverage FIS’s scale and operational expertise to optimize the combined business, creating cost efficiencies and enhancing service delivery.
This acquisition aligns with FIS’s broader strategy of providing end-to-end solutions for financial institutions and payment providers, enabling seamless digital banking experiences and greater operational efficiency for clients worldwide.
Industry and Market Context
The financial technology industry has seen a wave of consolidation in recent years, as firms seek to broaden their capabilities, access new markets, and scale technological innovation. Issuer solutions — encompassing card management, digital wallets, and customer engagement platforms — have emerged as a critical component of banks’ and fintechs’ growth strategies.
Global Payments’ Issuer Solutions business has established a reputation for innovative, client-focused technology and strong compliance standards, serving a wide range of banks and credit unions globally. By combining these capabilities with FIS’s technology platform, the acquisition is poised to create a world-class provider of issuer services, capable of supporting large-scale deployments and global clients while maintaining regulatory compliance across jurisdictions.
In addition, as digital payments continue to expand, regulators such as the CMA are increasingly focused on assessing market concentration and ensuring competitive dynamics remain robust. FIS’s proactive approach to providing additional information demonstrates its commitment to regulatory transparency and compliance, which is critical to securing approvals without delay.
Transaction Timeline and Expectations
FIS has maintained a consistent message regarding the closing timeline: the company expects the acquisition to close in the first half of 2026. The refiled UK Merger Notice is not expected to create any delay in this timeline, as the step is a standard part of ensuring regulators have complete visibility into the transaction.
While regulatory reviews can sometimes extend timelines, FIS’s proactive engagement with authorities, combined with its global compliance infrastructure, positions the company to navigate these approvals efficiently. Management has reiterated that all stakeholders — including customers, employees, and investors — can expect continuity in operations and strategic focus during this period.
Management Commentary
FIS leadership has underscored the strategic rationale for the acquisition and its commitment to regulatory transparency. A spokesperson for FIS stated:
“Our planned acquisition of Global Payments’ Issuer Solutions business represents a key step in our strategy to enhance our issuer solutions capabilities and deliver superior technology-driven outcomes for our clients. We are providing additional information to the UK Competition and Markets Authority to ensure a comprehensive review, and we remain confident that the transaction will close in the first half of 2026 as previously communicated.”
The company further emphasized that this acquisition is aligned with its long-term growth strategy, which prioritizes expanding digital banking and payment technology capabilities, driving innovation, and delivering value to shareholders.
FIS’s Commitment to Clients and Shareholders
For FIS clients, the acquisition promises to strengthen service offerings, technology platforms, and innovation pipelines. Existing clients can anticipate enhanced card issuing solutions, expanded digital banking features, and improved fraud and risk management capabilities. For shareholders, the acquisition is expected to enhance long-term value, driven by potential revenue growth, operational efficiencies, and increased market share in key issuer technology segments.
The planned integration of Global Payments’ Issuer Solutions business with FIS’s platform is structured to minimize disruption and maximize value creation. FIS has outlined plans for coordinated integration teams, ensuring smooth operational alignment, technology interoperability, and continued support for existing clients throughout the transition.
About FIS
FIS is a global leader in financial services technology, providing software, services, and solutions to banking, payments, asset management, and capital markets clients around the world. Its portfolio includes core banking systems, payment processing networks, card issuing and merchant services, risk and compliance platforms, and digital banking solutions.
With a commitment to innovation, reliability, and regulatory compliance, FIS supports financial institutions and fintechs in delivering efficient, secure, and customer-centric experiences. The company serves clients in over 130 countries, powering billions of transactions annually and managing trillions in assets.
About Global Payments’ Issuer Solutions
Global Payments’ Issuer Solutions business is a leading provider of card issuing and digital banking technology, serving a broad spectrum of financial institutions, including banks, credit unions, and fintechs. Its solutions span card management, digital wallets, fraud prevention, customer engagement, and loyalty programs, offering scalable platforms to support global operations.
The business has a strong track record of innovation and compliance, providing secure and reliable technology solutions that enhance client efficiency and customer experiences. Its capabilities are highly complementary to FIS’s existing issuer technology portfolio, creating a combined entity well-positioned for growth and innovation.
Industry Implications
This acquisition is part of a broader trend of strategic consolidation in financial technology, particularly in the areas of card issuing, digital banking, and payment processing. By integrating Global Payments’ Issuer Solutions, FIS strengthens its competitive position in a rapidly evolving market, where clients are increasingly seeking end-to-end technology partners capable of supporting complex, global financial operations.
Regulators, including the CMA, are carefully reviewing such transactions to ensure that competition remains robust and that clients and consumers continue to benefit from innovation, choice, and fair pricing. FIS’s proactive approach to providing supplemental information highlights its commitment to regulatory compliance and market transparency, setting a positive precedent for other large-scale transactions in the sector.
As FIS moves forward with the acquisition, key milestones to watch include:
- Regulatory Approvals: Completion of the CMA review and other required approvals in various jurisdictions.
- Integration Planning: Continued alignment of technology platforms, operational processes, and client service functions.
- Strategic Growth Initiatives: Leveraging the combined capabilities to expand issuer solutions offerings globally, with a focus on digital banking, card issuing, and risk management.
- Shareholder Value Creation: Driving long-term growth through operational synergies, expanded market reach, and enhanced technology solutions.
The anticipated closing in the first half of 2026 positions FIS to begin realizing these strategic benefits early in the next fiscal year, reinforcing its role as a global innovator in financial technology.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to regulatory approvals, integration challenges, market conditions, competitive pressures, and other factors described in FIS’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. FIS undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law.