Item 1. Business
ITEM 1- BUSINESS
Global Payments Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries are referred to collectively as "Global Payments," the "Company," "we," "our" or "us," unless the context requires otherwise.
Introduction
We are a leading payments technology company delivering innovative software and services to our customers globally, with worldwide reach spanning North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. Our technologies, services and team member expertise allow us to provide a broad range of solutions that enable our customers to operate their businesses more efficiently across a variety of channels around the world. Headquartered in Georgia with approximately 27,000 team members worldwide, Global Payments is a Fortune 500 company and is a member of the S&P 500. Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "GPN."
Business Segments
We operate in two reportable segments: Merchant Solutions and Issuer Solutions. During the second quarter of 2023, we completed the sale of the consumer portion of our Netspend business, which comprised our former Consumer Solutions segment. See "Note 18—Segment Information" in the notes to the accompanying consolidated financial statements for additional information about our segments, including revenues, operating income and depreciation and amortization by segment as well as financial information about geographic areas in which we operate.
Recent Business Acquisitions and Dispositions
Acquisition of EVO Payments, Inc.
On March 24, 2023, we completed the acquisition of EVO Payments, Inc. (“EVO”) for total purchase consideration of approximately $4 billion. EVO is a payment technology and services provider, offering payment solutions to merchants ranging from small and middle market enterprises to multinational companies and organizations across the Americas and Europe. The acquisition aligns with our technology-enabled payments strategy, expands our geographic presence in attractive markets and augments our business-to-business ("B2B") software and payment solutions business.
Disposition of Consumer Business
On April 26, 2023, we completed the sale of the consumer portion of our Netspend business for approximately $1 billion. The disposition further aligns our businesses with our strategy to focus on our core corporate customers, including merchants, financial institutions, software partners and technology leaders. Prior to disposition, the consumer business comprised our former Consumer Solutions segment and provided general purpose reloadable ("GPR") prepaid debit and payroll cards, demand deposit accounts and other financial service solutions to the underbanked and other consumers and businesses in the United States.
Disposition of Gaming Business
On April 1, 2023, we completed the sale of our gaming business for approximately $400 million. The disposition further aligns our businesses with our strategy to focus on our core corporate customers. Prior to disposition, the gaming business offered a comprehensive suite of solutions, including credit and debit card cash advance, cashless advance, iGaming solutions, traditional and digital check processing and other services specific to the gaming market in North America.
See "Note 2—Acquisitions" and “Note 3—Business Dispositions” in the notes to the accompanying consolidated financial statements for further discussion of these and other recent transactions.
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Merchant Solutions Segment
Through our Merchant Solutions segment, we provide payments technology and software solutions to customers globally. Our payment technology solutions are similar around the world in that we enable our customers to accept card, check and digital-based payments. Our comprehensive offerings include, but are not limited to, authorization, settlement and funding services, customer support, chargeback resolution, terminal rental, sales and deployment, payment security services, consolidated billing and reporting.
In addition, we offer a wide array of enterprise software solutions that streamline business operations to customers in numerous vertical markets. We also provide a variety of value-added solutions and services, including specialty point-of-sale software, analytics and customer engagement, human capital management and payroll and reporting that assist our customers with driving demand and operating their businesses more efficiently.
Our value proposition is to provide distinctive high-quality, responsive and secure services to all of our customers. We distribute our Merchant Solutions services globally through multiple technology-enabled and relationship-led distribution channels and target customers in many vertical markets located throughout North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. The majority of our revenues is generated by services priced as a percentage of transaction value or a specified fee per transaction, depending on the payment type or the market. We also earn software subscription and licensing fees, as well as other fees for specific value-added services, which may be unrelated to the number or value of transactions.
Distribution Channels
In the Merchant Solutions segment, we actively market and provide our payment services, enterprise software solutions and other value-added services directly to our customers through a variety of technology-enabled and relationship-led distribution channels.
Technology-Enabled. Our technology-enabled distribution channel includes integrated and vertical market software solutions and ecommerce and omnichannel solutions, each as described below. Many of our payment solutions are technology-enabled in that they incorporate or are incorporated into innovative, technology-driven solutions, including enterprise software solutions, designed to enable merchants to better manage their businesses. Our technology-enabled solutions represent a substantial component of our revenues.
Integrated Solutions. Our integrated solutions provide advanced payments technology that is embedded into business management software solutions owned by our technology partners who operate in numerous vertical markets, primarily in North America. We grow our integrated solutions business when new or existing merchants enable payments services through enterprise software solutions sold by our partners, both new and existing.
Vertical Markets Software Solutions . Our vertical markets software solutions provide advanced payments technology that is integrated into business enterprise software solutions that we own. We distribute our vertical markets software solutions primarily through the following businesses:
• ACTIVE Network . Through ACTIVE Network, we deliver cloud-based enterprise software, including payment technology solutions, to event organizers in the communities, government services and health and fitness markets.
• AdvancedMD . Through AdvancedMD, we provide cloud-based enterprise solutions to small-to-medium sized ambulatory care physician practices in the United States.
• Education Solutions . We offer integrated payment solutions specifically designed for all levels of educational institutions. For colleges and universities, we offer integrated commerce software and payment solutions, as well as a variety of additional value added services. For institutions serving kindergarten through 12 th grade levels, we provide ecommerce and in-person payments and cafeteria POS and back-office management solutions.
• Xenial . Through Xenial, we offer cloud-based enterprise software and hardware solutions that integrate with our payment services and other business applications to the restaurant and hospitality and stadium and event venue vertical markets.
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• Zego . Through Zego, we offer a comprehensive resident experience management software and digital commerce solutions to property managers, primarily in the United States.
Ecommerce and Omnichannel . We offer ecommerce and omnichannel solutions that seamlessly blend payment gateway services, retail payment acceptance infrastructure and payment technology service capabilities through a unified commerce platform to allow merchants and partners to accept various payment methods through any channel. We sell ecommerce and omnichannel solutions to customers of all sizes, from small businesses accepting payments in a single country to payment facilitators, enterprise and multinational partners and merchants that have complex payment needs and operate retail and online businesses in multiple countries.
Relationship-Led. Through our relationship-led direct sales forces worldwide, as well as financial institution and other referral partnerships, we offer our payments technology services, software and other value-added solutions directly to customers across numerous verticals in the markets we serve. Although our primary focus is on building high-quality, direct relationships with merchants, we also provide our services to merchants through independent sales organizations ("ISOs") and financial institutions.
Credit and Debit Card Transaction Processing
Credit and debit card transaction processing includes processing the world's major international card brands, including, among others, American Express, Discover Card ("Discover"), JCB, Mastercard, UnionPay International and Visa, as well as certain domestic debit networks, such as Interac in Canada. Credit and debit networks establish uniform regulations that govern much of the payment card industry. During a typical payment transaction, the merchant and the card issuer do not interface directly with each other, but instead rely on payments technology companies, such as Global Payments, to facilitate transaction processing services, including authorization, electronic draft capture, file transfers to facilitate funds settlement and certain exception-based, back-office support services such as chargeback resolution.
We process funds settlement under two models: a sponsorship model and a direct membership model. Under the sponsorship model, member clearing financial institutions ("Members") sponsor us and require our adherence to the standards of the networks. In these markets, we have sponsorship or depository and clearing agreements with financial institution sponsors. These agreements allow us to route transactions under the Members' control and identification numbers to clear card transactions through Mastercard and Visa. In this model, the standards of the card networks restrict us from performing funds settlement or accessing merchant settlement funds, and instead, require that these funds be in the possession of the Member until the merchant has been funded.
Under the direct membership model, we are direct members in various payment networks, allowing us to process and fund transactions without third-party sponsorship. Under this model, we route and clear transactions directly through the card brand’s network and are not restricted from performing funds settlement. Otherwise, we process these transactions similarly to how we process transactions in the sponsorship model. We are required to adhere to the standards of the various networks in which we are direct members. We maintain relationships with financial institutions, which may also serve as our Member sponsors for other card brands or in other markets, to assist with funds settlement.
How a Card Transaction Works
A typical payment transaction begins when a cardholder presents a card for payment to a merchant at which time card and transaction information, such as the card identification number, transaction date and transaction amount, is captured and transmitted to our network. The information is captured by a point-of-sale ("POS") terminal card reader or mobile device card reader, which may be sold or leased to the merchant and serviced by us, or through a POS device or ecommerce portal by one of a number of services that we offer directly or through a value-added reseller.
After the card and transaction information is captured, the POS device or ecommerce portal automatically connects to our network through the internet or other communication channel in order to receive authorization of the transaction. For a credit card transaction, authorization services generally refer to the process in which the card issuer indicates whether a particular credit card is authentic and whether the impending transaction amount will cause the cardholder to exceed defined credit limits. In a debit card transaction, we obtain authorization for the transaction from the card issuer through the payment network verifying that the cardholder has access to sufficient funds for the transaction amount.
As an illustration, shown below in the sponsorship model, on a $100.00 card transaction the card issuer may fund the Member, our sponsor, (indirectly through the card network) $98.50 after retaining $1.50 referred to as an interchange fee. The card issuer would seek reimbursement of $100.00 from the cardholder in the cardholder's monthly credit card statement.
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The Member would, in turn, pay the merchant $100.00. The net settlement after this transaction would require us to advance the $1.50 interchange fee to the Member. After the end of the month, we would bill the merchant a percentage, also known as the merchant discount, of the transaction amount to cover the full amount of the interchange fee and our fee from the transaction. Assuming the merchant discount in the above example is 2%, we bill the merchant $2.00 after the end of the month for the transaction, reimburse ourselves for $1.50 in interchange fees and retain $0.50 as our fee for the transaction. Under some arrangements, we remit the net amount of $98.00 to the merchant, rather than funding the full $100.00 and subsequently billing the merchant at the end of the month.
Discount rates vary based on negotiations with merchants and the economic characteristics of transactions and take many forms, such as interchange plus our fee or a bundled rate that includes all fees. Interchange rates also vary based on the economic characteristics of individual transactions. Accordingly, our fee per transaction varies across our merchant base and is subject to change based on changes in discount rates and interchange rates. Our profit on a transaction reflects the merchant discount less interchange fees, payment network fees and operating expenses, including systems costs to process the transaction and commissions paid to our sales force or external partner. Payment network fees are charged by the card brands, in part, based on the value of transactions processed through their networks.
Issuer Solutions Segment
Through our Issuer Solutions segment, we provide solutions that enable financial institutions and other financial service providers to manage their card portfolios, reduce technical complexity and overhead and offer a seamless experience for cardholders on a single platform. In addition, we provide flexible commercial payments, accounts payable and electronic payment alternatives solutions that support B2B payment processes for businesses and governments. We also offer complementary services, including account management and servicing, fraud solution services, analytics and business intelligence, cards, statements and correspondence, customer contact solutions and risk management solutions. Additionally, our Issuer Solutions segment provides B2B payment services and other financial service solutions marketed to businesses, including software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) offerings that automate key procurement processes, provide invoice capture, coding and approval, and enable virtual cards and integrated payments options across a variety of key vertical markets.
Issuer Solutions segment revenues are primarily derived from long-term processing contracts with financial institutions and other financial services providers. Payment processing services revenues are generated primarily from charges based on
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the number of accounts on file, transactions and authorizations processed, statements generated and/or mailed, managed services, cards embossed and mailed, and other processing services for cardholder accounts on file. Most of these customer contracts have prescribed annual minimums, penalties for early termination, and service level agreements that may affect contractual fees if specified service levels are not achieved. Issuer Solutions segment revenues also include software subscription, licensing fees, loyalty redemption services and professional services.
Industry Overview
The payments technology industry provides financial institutions, businesses and consumers with payment processing services, merchant acceptance solutions and related information and other value-added services. The industry continues to grow as a result of wider merchant acceptance and increased use of credit and debit cards, advances in payment solutions and processing technology and migration to ecommerce, omnichannel and contactless payment solutions. The proliferation of credit and debit cards, as well as other digital payment solutions, has made the acceptance of digital payments a necessity for many businesses, regardless of size, in order to remain competitive. Certain macroeconomic drivers, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have further accelerated the use of digital payments, the need for development of technologies and digital-based solutions and the expansion of ecommerce, omnichannel and contactless payment solutions. The increased use of cards and the availability of more sophisticated technology services to all market segments have resulted in an increasingly competitive and specialized industry.
Strategy
We seek to leverage the adoption of, and transition to, card and digital-based payments by expanding our share in our existing markets through our distribution channels and service innovation, as well as through acquisitions to improve our offerings and scale. We also seek to enter new markets through acquisitions, alliances and joint ventures in selected markets around the world. We intend to continue to invest in and leverage our technology infrastructure and capabilities to increase our penetration in existing markets.
Consistent with this focus, we continue to operate our business in accordance with the following strategic framework:
• Leading with technology and innovation to deepen our competitive advantages;
• Further scaling the four pillars of our strategy: software-driven focus, ecommerce and omnichannel solutions, exposure to faster growth markets and B2B payments;
• Delivering commerce enablement solutions globally to broaden our leading position as a sales-driven, product-led company;
• Providing frictionless, best-in-class customer experiences, creating longer-term relationships;
• Nurturing our culture, values and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to attract, retain and motivate exceptional team members; and
• Supporting our communities as a socially responsible company with purpose and understanding.
Competitive Strengths
We believe that our competitive strengths include the following:
• Technology Solutions - We provide innovative technology-based solutions, including enterprise software and other ecommerce enablement solutions, that enable our customers to operate their businesses more efficiently, increase sales and simplify the payments process, regardless of the channel through which the transaction occurs. We believe our robust technology solutions will continue to differentiate us in the marketplace and position us for continued growth.
• Global Footprint and Distribution - Our worldwide presence allows us to focus our investments on markets with promising gross domestic product fundamentals and favorable secular trends, makes us more attractive to certain customers with international operations and exposes us to emerging innovations that we can adopt globally, while diversifying our economic risk.
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• Scalable Operating Environment and Technology Infrastructure - We operate with a multi-channel, global technology infrastructure that provides scalable and innovative service offerings and a consistent service experience to our merchants, customers, financial institutions and other partners worldwide, while also driving sustainable operating efficiencies.
• Strong, Long-lasting Partner Relationships - We have established strong, long-lasting relationships with many financial institutions, enterprise software providers, value-added resellers and other technology-based payment service providers, which enable us to deliver a set of diverse solutions to our customers.
• Disciplined Acquisition Approach - Our proven track record for selectively and successfully sourcing, completing acquisitions and integrating acquired businesses in existing and new markets positions us well for future growth and as an attractive partner for potential acquisition targets.
Competition
In each of our business segments, we compete with a large variety of companies - financial institutions, financial technology companies, traditional payment providers, new market entrants, and others, both large and small. The markets for the services we provide are highly fragmented and competitive. Many of these providers compete with us across our segments, markets and geographies. Some of these competitors possess greater financial, sales and marketing resources than we do. We expect each of our segments to become more competitive over time, as advances in technology enable new entrants, barriers to entry fall and existing providers expand their services, both operationally and geographically.
Our Merchant Solutions segment competes with financial institutions, merchant acquirers and other financial technology companies who provide businesses with merchant acquiring and related services. In the United States, we compete with a large number of providers, including but not limited to Fiserv, Inc. ("Fiserv"), Worldpay, LLC ("Worldpay"), Chase Paymentech Solutions, LLC, Elavon, Inc., a subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp, Bank of America Merchant Services, Wells Fargo Merchant Services, Toast, Inc., Stripe, Inc., Shopify Inc. and Block Inc. While these are our primary competitors in the merchant acquiring space, our vertically focused businesses in the United States compete with numerous other providers in their respective verticals.
Internationally, financial institutions remain the primary providers of payment technology services to merchants, although the outsourcing of these services to third-party service providers is becoming more prevalent. We compete outside the U.S. with financial institutions in the markets in which we operate, as well as both large providers (such as Worldpay, Worldline, Nexi) and new entrants (such as Adyen, Block and Stripe). We have seen competition internationally increase and expect that trend to continue as new companies enter our markets and existing competitors expand or consolidate their product lines and services.
Our Issuer Solutions segment encounters competition from other third-party payment card processors, the card brands, core banking platform providers, independent software vendors, B2B providers, and various other firms that deliver services to payment card issuers in the markets we serve, as well as financial institutions who provide such services in-house. Our competitors in this segment include, but are not limited to Fiserv, FIS, Marqeta, Nexi, Worldline, i2c, Bill.com, AvidExchange, Billtrust, Adyen, Stripe and Zeta. We expect the number of competitors in this segment to continue to expand.
See the section titled “Risk Factors - Risks Related to Our Business Model and Operations” for further information on the competitive and continuously evolving markets we serve.
Safeguarding Our Business
In order to provide our services, we process and store sensitive business information and personal information, which may include credit and debit card numbers, bank account numbers, social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, names and addresses, and other types of personal information or sensitive business information. Some of this information is also processed and stored by financial institutions, merchants and other entities, as well as third-party service providers to whom we outsource certain functions and other agents, which we refer to collectively as our associated third parties. We may have responsibility to the card networks, financial institutions, and in some instances, our merchants, ISOs and/or individuals, for our failure or the failure of our associated third-party service providers (as applicable) to protect this information.
For a further discussion of our approach to cybersecurity, see "Item 1C - Cybersecurity."
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Intellectual Property
Our intellectual property is an important part of our strategy to be a leading provider of payment technology and software solutions. We use a combination of internal policies, intellectual property laws and contractual provisions to protect our proprietary technologies and brands. In addition, to protect our various brands, we seek and maintain registration of U.S. and international patents, copyrights, trade secrets, trademarks, service marks and domain names that align with our brand strategy. We also enforce our trademarks against potential sources of misunderstanding that could harm our brand and ability to compete. In addition to using our intellectual property in our own operations, we grant licenses to certain of our customers to use our intellectual property.
Human Capital Management
Team Member Population
We currently do business around the world, with approximately 27,000 team members living and working in 35 countries. As of December 31, 2023, approximately 59% of our workforce resided in the Americas, 19% in Europe and 22% in Asia Pacific. Many of our team members are highly skilled in technical areas specific to payment technology and software solutions.
Our overall workforce strategies are developed and managed by our Chief Human Resources Officer, who reports to our President and CEO. More broadly, the board of directors and the Compensation Committee of our board of directors ("Compensation Committee") provide oversight on certain culture and human management topics, including diversity, equity and inclusion (“DEI”) and succession plans for critical talent. We regularly engage with our team members through a variety of forums, including periodic surveys, to help us understand their perspectives related to workplace culture, engagement, inclusion, talent management and well-being and to inform our human capital strategies and initiatives. The results of these interactions are also leveraged to further develop our talent management initiatives. Moreover, the board of directors also reviews critical feedback and receives updates on management’s plans in response thereto.
Talent Management and Retention
We place an emphasis on attracting and retaining diverse team members and having a workforce that reflects the communities in which we work and live around the world. To that end, we have implemented programs and initiatives focused on enriching new hire experiences, developing team members through extensive training and professional development opportunities, including mentorship and leadership programs, promoting team members’ wellness and safety, and providing flexible work arrangements. Furthermore, we offer comprehensive and competitive pay and benefits packages, including paid parental leave, team member assistance, savings and retirement programs and equity-based awards that vest over a period of time to support retention of key contributors. We also strive to celebrate and recognize the efforts of our team members through a combination of programs, including team appreciation activities and awards programs to honor top performers and notable contributors. Over the past several years, we have also made significant investments in modernizing our operating environments and technologies to include cloud-based systems and collaboration tools that support day-to-day engagement and execution.
Health and Well-being
The success of our business is connected to the well-being of our team members. Accordingly, we are committed to the health, safety and wellness of our team members worldwide, and we provide team members with various health and wellness programs and benefits, including employee education and assistance programs that focus on physical, financial, family, social and emotional resources.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
We remain committed to addressing the ever-changing needs of our team members and finding new ways to continuously enhance our culture. Our DEI strategy, led by our Chief Diversity Officer and our Chief Human Resources Officer, reflects the shift in our current workforce, changing business landscape and potential talent and is anchored by three pillars: Leadership Accountability, Inclusive Capability and Engagement. To further engrain our DEI strategy in the organization, we have established various Employee Resource Groups and diversity action teams, led by senior leaders throughout our company. These groups and teams are critical drivers in fostering organizational change, establishing dedicated focus on DEI priorities and managing the DEI program beyond our corporate function. We continue to include social and racial equity in our conversations, and aim to equip and empower our leaders with the right tools and training to lead effectively. Our Compensation Committee assists the board of directors in overseeing the Company’s DEI initiatives.
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Employee Growth and Development
Our strategy to develop and retain the best talent includes an emphasis on team member development and training. We provide a variety of training and development opportunities to team members globally, including our online training platform that contains a vast array of tools and application resources for all team members to build learning experiences and skills. In order to help our team members strengthen the skills and behaviors needed for career advancement, our performance management program enables team members to drive their development with a focus on growth, performance, and well-being through regular meetings with their leaders.
Government Regulation
Various aspects of our business are subject to regulation and supervision under federal, state and local laws in the United States and foreign laws, regulations and rules. Many of these regulations and laws are evolving and their applicability and scope, as interpreted by courts and regulators, remain uncertain. These regulations and laws involve a variety of matters, including privacy and information security, data and personal information protection, money-transmission and payment instrument laws and regulations, consumer protection laws, anti-money laundering and anti-corruption laws, tax, environmental sustainability (including climate change) and human rights. In addition, we are subject to rules promulgated by the various payment networks, including Nacha, American Express, Discover, Interac, Mastercard and Visa.
Set forth below is a brief summary of some of the significant laws and regulations that apply to us. These descriptions are not exhaustive, and these laws, regulations and rules frequently change and are increasing in number. We are currently in compliance in all material respects with applicable existing legal and regulatory requirements and do not expect that maintaining compliance with these regulations will have a material effect on our capital expenditures, earnings or competitive and financial positions. For additional information about government regulation and laws applicable to our business and the potential risks associated with future changes in laws or regulations, see "Item 1A - Risk Factors" of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the risk factor titled "Legal, Regulatory Compliance and Tax Risks."
Dodd-Frank Act
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the "Dodd-Frank Act") restricts the amounts of debit card fees that certain institutions can charge merchants. Pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board, debit interchange rates for card issuers with assets of $10 billion or more are capped at $0.21 per transaction and an ad valorem component of 5 basis points to reflect a portion of the issuer's fraud losses plus, for qualifying issuers, an additional $0.01 per transaction in debit interchange for fraud prevention costs.
In addition, the Dodd-Frank Act limits the ability of payment card networks to impose certain restrictions because it allows merchants to: (i) set minimum dollar amounts (not to exceed $10) for the acceptance of a credit card (and allows federal governmental entities and institutions of higher education to set maximum amounts for the acceptance of credit cards) and (ii) provide discounts or incentives to encourage consumers to pay with cash, checks, debit cards or credit cards.
The rules also contain prohibitions on network exclusivity and merchant routing restrictions that require a card issuer to enable at least two unaffiliated networks on each debit card, prohibit card networks from entering into exclusivity arrangements and restrict the ability of issuers or networks to mandate transaction routing requirements. The prohibition on network exclusivity has not significantly affected our ability to pass on network fees and other costs to our customers, nor do we expect it to in the future.
Consumer Protection
The Dodd-Frank Act also created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB"), which has responsibility for enforcing federal consumer protection laws, and the Financial Stability Oversight Council, which has the authority to determine whether any nonbank financial company, such as us, should be supervised by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the "Federal Reserve") on the ground that it is "systemically important" to the U.S. financial system. Accordingly, we may be subject to additional systemic risk-related oversight in the future.
The CFPB has significant authority to regulate consumer financial products in the U.S., including consumer payments, and similar products. The FTC, state attorneys general and similar regulatory agencies in other jurisdictions may have broad consumer protection mandates that could result in the promulgation and interpretation of rules and regulations that may affect our business.
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Furthermore, certain of our businesses are regulated as money transmitters or otherwise require licensing in one or more states or jurisdictions, subjecting us to various licensing, supervisory and other requirements.
Financial Institution Regulations
Because we provide digital payment processing services to banks and other financial institutions, we are subject to examination by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (the "FFIEC"), an interagency body comprised primarily of federal banking regulators, and we are also subject to supervision or examination, as may be applicable, by various state and international financial regulatory agencies that supervise and regulate the financial institutions for which we provide digital payment processing and other payment related services. The FFIEC examines large data processors in order to identify and mitigate risks associated with systemically significant service providers, including specifically the risks they may pose to the banking industry.
Certain of our subsidiaries hold payment institution ("PI") licenses. These subsidiaries are subject to regulation and oversight in the jurisdictions in which they operate. As a result of the acquisition of EVO, we have added PI licenses in Poland, Greece and Germany, in addition to those previously held in Spain, Malta and the Czech Republic as well as similar licenses in the United Kingdom. As a PI, each subsidiary is subject to regulation and oversight in the applicable jurisdiction, which includes, among other obligations, a requirement to maintain specific regulatory capital and adhere to certain rules regarding the conduct and operation of their business, including the revised Payment Services Directive 2 and the forthcoming requirements under the Digital Operational Resilience Act and reporting obligations in respect of Central Electronic System of Payment Information.
Privacy, Information Security and Other Business Practices Regulation
Aspects of our business are subject, directly or indirectly, to privacy and data protection regulations in the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union ("EU") and elsewhere. In most of the countries in which we operate, these laws impose requirements on the manner in which personal information can be collected, processed, stored and shared. They also impose requirements, which vary materially by jurisdiction, in the event of a personal data breach.
Compliance with the data protection regulations applicable to us or our customers requires increasing resources devoted to monitoring changes and developing solutions for our affected businesses. Maintaining compliance over time could require substantive technology infrastructure and process changes across many of the Company’s businesses. Noncompliance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act ("GLBA"), the California Privacy Rights Act, the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 or similar regulations could lead to substantial regulatory fines and penalties, or in some cases, damages resulting from private causes of action. Evolving data localization requirements may affect how we provide services to customers in regions like the EU and Asia-Pacific. Additionally, evolving sector-specific regulations that affect the payments industry may introduce overlap or conflict with data privacy regulations, and these conflicts in regulatory requirements may affect our operations.
We also rely upon third parties to facilitate or enable our business activities and require that they are similarly in compliance with applicable regulations. Such third parties include suppliers and other partners.
New regulations (including the EU Artificial Intelligence Regulation and new state laws in the United States or a possible federal privacy law) and new interpretations of existing regulations, such as the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") Act, GLBA, and the GDPR, could create new privacy rights for individuals and new obligations for companies handling personal information. These regulations could limit our ability to use and share personal or other data and increase costs related to compliance. In addition, emerging technologies including innovations in machine learning and artificial intelligence are expected to continue to drive regulation targeted to the specific risks anticipated from these technologies.
As our portfolio of services evolves, we may offer more services outside of our traditional business-to-business interaction context. As we interact directly with consumers, in conjunction with our existing customers and partners or directly on our own behalf, our compliance obligations under privacy regulations may expand.
Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Corruption and Sanctions Regulations
In many countries, we are legally or contractually required to comply with the anti-money laundering laws and regulations, such as, in the United States, the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act, and similar laws of
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other countries, which require that customer identifying information be obtained and verified. In some countries, we are directly subject to these requirements; in other countries, we have contractually agreed to assist our sponsor financial institutions with their obligation to comply with anti-money laundering requirements that apply to them. In addition, we and our sponsor financial institutions are subject to the laws and regulations, enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, that prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with certain prohibited persons or entities. Similar requirements apply in other countries. We have developed procedures and controls that are designed to monitor and address legal and regulatory requirements and developments and that allow our customers to protect against having direct business dealings with such prohibited countries, individuals or entities.
We are subject to anti-corruption laws and regulations, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) and similar laws outside of the U.S., such as the U.K. Bribery Act, that prohibit the making or offering of improper payments to foreign government officials and political figures. The FCPA has a broad reach and requires maintenance of appropriate records and adequate internal controls to prevent and detect possible FCPA violations.
State Wage Payment Laws and Regulations
The use of payroll card programs as a means for an employer to remit wages or other compensation to its employees or independent contractors is governed by state labor laws related to wage payments, which laws are subject to change. The paycard portion of our business includes payroll cards and convenience checks and is designed to allow employers to comply with applicable state wage and hour laws. Most states permit the use of payroll cards as a method of paying wages to employees, either through statutory provisions allowing such use or, in the absence of specific statutory guidance, the adoption by state labor departments of formal or informal policies allowing for their use. Nearly every state allowing payroll cards places certain requirements and/or restrictions on their use as a wage payment method, the most common of which involve obtaining the prior written consent of the employee or independent contractors, limitations on fees and disclosure requirements.
Recently, some states have begun to regulate earned wage access products, including, for example by enacting new laws requiring licensure of earned wage access providers and/or requiring fee restrictions on the products, or by including earned wage access products in existing lending laws, which could also result in licensure requirements and/or fee limitations. States could also potentially regulate these products under existing wage and hour laws related to the assignment of wages. We may be subject to additional requirements and limitations under federal or state lending laws as a result of new interpretations, formal guidance or additional regulations relating to earned wage access products.
Escheat Laws
We are subject to unclaimed or abandoned property state laws in the United States and in certain foreign countries that require us to transfer to certain government authorities the unclaimed property of others that we hold when that property has been unclaimed for a certain period of time. Moreover, we are subject to audit by state and foreign regulatory authorities with regard to our escheatment practices.
Debt Collection and Credit Reporting Laws
Portions of our business may be subject to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA") and similar state laws. These debt collection laws are designed to eliminate abusive, deceptive and unfair debt collection practices and may require licensing at the state level. The FCRA regulates the use and reporting of consumer credit information and also imposes disclosure requirements on entities that take adverse action based on information obtained from credit reporting agencies.
Telephone Consumer Protection Act
We are subject to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA") and various state laws to the extent we place telephone calls and short message service ("SMS") messages to customers and consumers. The TCPA regulates certain telephone calls and SMS messages placed using automatic telephone dialing systems or artificial or prerecorded voices.
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Other
In addition, there are other laws, rules or regulations that may directly affect us or the activities of our merchant customers and in some cases may subject us to investigations, fees, fines and disgorgement of funds in the event we are deemed to have aided and abetted or otherwise provided the means and instrumentalities to facilitate the illegal activities of a merchant through our payment processing services.
Sustainability
Certain governments around the world are adopting laws and regulations pertaining to sustainability performance, transparency and reporting. Regulators in Europe and the U.S. have also focused efforts on increased disclosure related to climate change and mitigation efforts. The EU recently adopted the European Sustainability Reporting Standards and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive that will impose disclosure of the risks and opportunities arising from social and environmental issues, and on the effect of companies’ activities on people and the environment. In October 2023, California adopted new carbon and climate-related reporting requirements for large public and private companies doing business in the state. Further, the SEC has included in its regulatory agenda potential rulemaking on climate change disclosures that, if adopted, could significantly increase compliance burdens and associated regulatory costs and complexity. International sustainability disclosure standards have also been produced (and further standards will be produced) under the auspices of the International Sustainability Standards Board, which some countries (such as the United Kingdom) have indicated they may incorporate into sustainability disclosure standards required of certain companies
We are monitoring proposed and pending climate legislation for effect and are also working to continually ensure that our sustainability agenda is integrated into our overall business strategy. As part of our annual sustainability reporting, we provide additional information about our approach to sustainability matters in our Global Responsibility Report (which is not incorporated herein), which is available in the investor relations section of our website at www.globalpayments.com .
Where to Find More Information
We file annual and quarterly reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and print materials that we have filed with the SEC from its website at www.sec.gov . In addition, certain of our SEC filings, including our annual reports on Form 10-K, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, our current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to them can be viewed and printed, free of charge, from the investor relations section of our website at www.globalpaymentsinc.com as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC.
Certain materials relating to our corporate governance, including our codes of ethics applicable to our directors, senior financial officers and other employees, and our Global Responsibility Report are also available in the investor relations section of our website. Copies of our filings, specified exhibits and corporate governance materials are also available, free of charge, by writing us using the address on the cover of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. You may also telephone our investor relations office directly at (770) 829-8478. We are not including the information on our website as a part of, or incorporating it by reference into, this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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