Shift4 signs $2.5bn deal to acquire Swiss paytech Global Blue
US payment processing firm Shift4 has inked a definitive agreement to acquire Global Blue, headquartered in Signy-Avenex, Switzerland, for an enterprise value of approximately $2.5 billion.
Shift4 to acquire Global Blue for around $2.5bn
Founded in 1980, Global Blue provides tax-free shopping, payment and post-purchase solutions for retailers, acquirers and hotels, and currently operates across 52 countries globally.
The company’s proposed acquisition will see Shift4 pay $7.50 per common share, which is said to represent a 15% premium to Global Blue’s closing share price as of 14 February 2025.
Shift4 will fund the transaction with both cash on hand, and through a newly-subscribed $1.795 billion bridge loan facility from an undisclosed benefactor. The deal has been approved by the boards of both companies, and is expected to close by Q3 2025.
Following this, Global Blue will delist its common and preferred stock from the New York Stock Exchange, where it has been floated publicly since June 2018.
Shift4 states that it plans to incorporate Global Blue’s merchant solutions, including the company’s tax refund and currency conversion capabilities, into its payments platform for merchants. This move is aimed at connecting merchants with a wider range of affluent international shoppers.
Taylor Lauber, president of Shift4, says the acquisition of Global Blue harbours “a massive embedded cross-sell opportunity” that is expected to generate “significant new revenue opportunities and capabilities that open entirely new markets for us”.
Meanwhile, Ant International and Tencent are expected to remain shareholders in Global Blue, and are said to be actively “exploring strategic partnerships with Shift4”, according to a statement on the deal.
The focus of this intended partnership will pertain to “global e-commerce payment products”, the statement continues, and will include the distribution of unified gateway service Alipay+ and China’s Weixin Pay through Shift4.
The proposed deal is the latest move in Shift4’s keen M&A strategy which, over the last year alone, has seen the firm acquire German POS firm Vectron Systems AG, Canadian fintech Givex, and most recently, UK paytech Card Industry Professionals in December.
