Visa buys Newpay to boost local processing capabilities

By Vriti Gothi

Visa Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Prisma Medios de Pago and Newpay from Advent International in a move aimed at strengthening its technology capabilities and accelerating digital payments adoption across Argentina.

Prisma provides issuer processing for credit, debit, and prepaid cards, while Newpay operates multi-network infrastructure, including real-time payment services, the Banelco ATM network, and the bill payment platform PagoMisCuentas. The acquisition will combine these domestic platforms with Visa’s global network and value-added services to support the rollout of advanced technologies such as tokenisation, biometric authentication, intelligent risk management, and agentic commerce solutions.

The integrated infrastructure is expected to enhance end-to-end processing capabilities for financial institutions, enabling faster and more secure transactions for consumers and businesses. Visa said the platform will remain network-agnostic, supporting multiple card brands processed by Prisma as well as the full range of payment methods offered through Newpay.

“This acquisition is an important step for Visa in Argentina, strengthening our client partnerships and advancing innovation across the payments ecosystem,” said Ryan McInerney, Chief Executive Officer of Visa. “By bringing together Prisma’s and Newpay’s deep local expertise with Visa’s global solutions and technology, we will empower our clients to make payments simpler, faster, and more secure for consumers and businesses.”

Gabriela Renaudo, Group Country Manager for Visa Argentina and the Southern Cone, added that the company sees “significant opportunities to expand digital payments adoption and modernise financial services, capabilities, and infrastructure across the country,” noting that the investment reflects Visa’s long-term commitment to supporting Argentina’s economic growth and integration into global commerce.

The transaction, subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close in Visa’s fiscal second quarter of 2026. Merchant acquirer Payway S.A.U. is not included in the deal and will remain independently owned by funds managed by Advent International.

The acquisition reflects a broader industry trend of global payment networks investing in domestic processing and real-time infrastructure to deepen market presence and capture growth in emerging digital economies. Argentina has seen rising demand for instant payments, digital wallets, and alternative payment methods, driven by eCommerce growth and efforts to reduce cash usage.

By integrating local switching, real-time capabilities, and issuer processing with its global acceptance network, Visa is positioning itself to offer a more vertically integrated platform. The move could enable faster innovation cycles for banks and FinTechs while strengthening competition in Latin America’s evolving payments landscape.