Santander eyes global merchant services business
(25 February 2020 – Global) Spanish banking giant Santander has struck a deal to buy merchant payments platform Elavon México for €79 million.
Currently part of the US Bank-owned Elavon, Elavon México has been operating Banco Santander’s merchant acquiring business in Mexico since 2010. The alliance ranks second in the Mexican merchant services market, with around 140,000 active customers and 250,000 card payment terminals.
The deal is part of Santander's effort to create a global merchant acquiring business, building out its successful Brazilian unit, Getnet.
Elavon México will be 49 percent owned by Santander Mexico and 51 percent by Santander Merchant Platform Solutions when the acquisition closes in the next few weeks.
Javier San Félix, head of Santander Global Payments Services, says: "The acquisition of Elavon México is an important step in the creation of a global merchant services business, which will provide added value to our customers.
"It will also enable us to unlock value in our Getnet merchant acquiring business and gradually extend our strengths to all our markets and customers through a single platform, open to third-party services. Mexico is the first of our markets to connect to the new platform, with the rest to follow in the near future."
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