Worldline and Ingenico to create European payments giant

Already a European leader in the payments and transactional services, Worldline's cash and share deal for Ingenico secures a French smart merchant services provider with an estimated market share of 37% of the global payment terminal market

Worldline and Ingenico are to combine, creating the world’s fourth biggest player in payment services through an acquisition worth $8.62 billion.

Already a European leader in the payments and transactional services, Worldline’s cash and share deal for Ingenico secures a French smart merchant services provider with an estimated market share of 37% of the global payment terminal market.

Once the acquisition closes, Worldline chairman and chief executive officer Gilles Grapinet will become chief executive officer of the combined company.

Ingenico chairman Bernard Bourigeaud is expected to become non-executive chairman of the board of directors.

The combination will create “the European worldclass leader in digital payments” at a time of “accelerating consolidation”, according to Grapinet and Bourigeaud.

Grapinet continued: “I am convinced that the combination of our respective remarkable talents pools, joint capabilities and state-of-the art offers will procure our combined company an outstanding value proposition to pursue an exceptional growth benefitting to all our clients, banks and merchants alike and to all our business partners.”

“This is a landmark transaction for the industrial consolidation of European payments, highly value creative for all our stakeholders and for the shareholders of both companies, and which ambitions to reinforce the role of Europe within the global digital payment ecosystem.”

Bourigeaud said: “The combination of Worldline and Ingenico offers a unique opportunity to create the undisputed European champion in payments on par with the largest international players. This transaction comes at the time of accelerating consolidation of the industry and I am convinced that the joined forces of both leaders will deeply transform the industry.”

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Mark Dugdale