Who Owns Heartland Payment Systems?
Heartland Payment Systems is a US payment processing brand owned by Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN), focused on small and mid-sized business merchants. Founded in 1997 by Robert Carr in Princeton, New Jersey, it was acquired by Global Payments in 2016 for about $4.3 billion.
Parent Company
Acquired
2016
Status
Publicly Traded
Headquarters
Heartland Payment Systems Timeline
United StatesOfficial Website
Who Owns Heartland Payment Systems?
- Parent Company: Global Payments Inc.
- Ownership Type: Wholly owned
- Acquisition Year: 2016
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: New York Stock Exchange: GPN
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Heartland Payment Systems | Global Payments Inc. | Wholly owned |
Advertisement
History of Heartland Payment Systems
- Founded: 1997
- Founders: Robert Carr
- Acquired by Global Payments Inc.: 2016
Robert Carr founded Heartland in Princeton, New Jersey in 1997, building the processor around direct sales to restaurants, retailers, and service businesses and an early emphasis on transaction security.
Heartland went public on the NYSE in 2005 and became known for recovering from a major 2008 data breach by pioneering end-to-end encryption in card processing.
Global Payments acquired Heartland in a deal announced December 2015 and completed in April 2016 for about $4.3 billion, absorbing it as the SMB-facing brand of the larger organization.
Advertisement
About Global Payments Inc.
Does Global Payments own Worldpay?
Yes. Global Payments completed its acquisition of 100 percent of Worldpay from FIS and GTCR on January 9, 2026.
What happened to TSYS?
The Issuer Solutions business, formerly known as TSYS, was sold to FIS on January 9, 2026 for an enterprise value of $13.5 billion.
Is Global Payments publicly traded?
Yes. It trades on the NYSE under ticker GPN.
Who is the CEO of Global Payments?
Cameron Bready, chief executive officer.
Advertisement
- Founded: 2000
- Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: New York Stock Exchange: GPN
- Revenue: Approximately $10.1 billion (FY2025, GAAP)
- Employees: Approximately 27,000 before the Worldpay combination
Where Is Heartland Payment Systems Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
Heartland Payment Systems Categories & Tags
Brands Owned by Global Payments Inc.
Finance FintechGlobal Payments
Owned by Global Payments Inc.
The merchant acquiring and commerce solutions brand of Global Payments Inc., serving businesses from SMBs to global enterprises.
paymentsmerchant-servicesacquiring
Finance FintechTouchNet
Owned by Global Payments Inc.
The campus payments and higher-education software brand of Global Payments, powering student commerce at universities.
campus-paymentshigher-educationpayments
Finance FintechWorldpay
Owned by Global Payments Inc.
The global e-commerce and enterprise acquiring brand of Global Payments, with roots in UK payment processing since 1989.
paymentsmerchant-acquiringecommerce
Heartland Payment Systems Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Established SMB merchant base and sales force
- +Security-focused brand reputation
- +Parent scale through Global Payments and Worldpay
Considerations
- -Square and Clover pressure in micro-merchant segments
- -Payroll arm divested in 2025
- -SMB attrition in competitive acquiring
Advertisement
Frequently Asked Questions About Heartland Payment Systems
Sources & Further Reading
- Heartland official website
- Global Payments Inc. company page - /companies/global-payments
Advertisement
Competitors to Heartland Payment Systems
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiserv | USA | 2010 | Market leader | Global | All Genders | |
| Global Payments | USA | 2000 | Mass market | Global | All Genders | |
| Us Bancorp | USA | 1991 | Mass market | Global | All Genders | |
| Block | USA | 2009 | Mass market | Global | All Genders | |
| Global Payments | USA | 1989 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Global Payments | United Kingdom | 1989 | Mass market | Global | All Genders |
Learn More About Competitors
Finance FintechClover
Owned by Fiserv, Inc.
Cloud-based point-of-sale and business management platform owned by Fiserv, serving roughly 900,000 merchant locations with payment processing and business software.
point-of-salepaymentsfintech
Finance FintechGlobal Payments
Owned by Global Payments Inc.
The merchant acquiring and commerce solutions brand of Global Payments Inc., serving businesses from SMBs to global enterprises.
paymentsmerchant-servicesacquiring
Finance FintechElavon
Owned by U.S. Bancorp
Merchant payment processing subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB), headquartered in Atlanta and serving more than 1.3 million customers across the U.S., Europe, and Canada.
paymentsmerchant-servicespayment-processing
Finance FintechSquare
Owned by Block, Inc.
Block's seller ecosystem brand providing payments, point-of-sale, and banking tools to millions of businesses worldwide.
paymentspoint-of-salefintech
Finance FintechTouchNet
Owned by Global Payments Inc.
The campus payments and higher-education software brand of Global Payments, powering student commerce at universities.
campus-paymentshigher-educationpayments
Finance FintechWorldpay
Owned by Global Payments Inc.
The global e-commerce and enterprise acquiring brand of Global Payments, with roots in UK payment processing since 1989.
paymentsmerchant-acquiringecommerce
Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: Heartland Payment Systems competes with 6 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
Advertisement
Independent Alternatives to Heartland Payment Systems
Looking for brands with different ownership structures? These similar brands are not owned by Global Payments Inc., giving you alternative choices that support different corporate structures.
Finance FintechRevolut
Owned by Revolut Ltd.
British digital banking and fintech brand offering accounts, payments, currency exchange, crypto and stock trading to more than 50 million customers.
neobankfintechdigital-banking
Privately Owned
Revolut is privately owned, unlike Heartland Payment Systems which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Finance FintechBarings
Owned by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual)
Global asset management firm headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and subsidiary of MassMutual, managing investments across fixed income, real estate, and private markets.
asset-managementinvestmentsfixed-income
Privately Owned
Barings is privately owned, unlike Heartland Payment Systems which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Finance FintechBloomberg Terminal
Owned by Bloomberg L.P.
Industry-standard financial data and analytics platform used by approximately 325,000 subscribers at banks, hedge funds, and institutional investors worldwide.
financial-datamarket-dataanalytics
Privately Owned
Bloomberg Terminal is privately owned, unlike Heartland Payment Systems which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Finance FintechBybit
Owned by Bybit Fintech Limited
Dubai-based cryptocurrency exchange, the world's second-largest by trading volume, serving more than 80 million registered users.
crypto-exchangetradingbitcoin
Privately Owned
Bybit is privately owned, unlike Heartland Payment Systems which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Finance FintechCVC Capital Partners
Owned by CVC Capital Partners plc
Global private markets investment brand managing 205 billion euros across private equity, credit, secondaries, and infrastructure funds.
private-equityprivate-marketsasset-management
Privately Owned
CVC Capital Partners is privately owned, unlike Heartland Payment Systems which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Finance FintechKalshi
Owned by Kalshi Inc.
CFTC-regulated prediction market exchange where users trade contracts on real-world events, valued near $40 billion in late 2026 funding talks.
prediction-marketevent-contractscftc-regulated
Privately Owned
Kalshi is privately owned, unlike Heartland Payment Systems which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Global Payments Inc. Stock Information
Advertisement
Jobs at Global Payments Inc.
Latest News About Heartland Payment Systems
Advertisement
Related Articles About Heartland Payment Systems
View more articles
Industry Analysis
What Happens to a Brand's Stock Price After an Acquisition
Target stocks jump 20-30% when acquired. Acquirer stocks often fall. Why? Discover what happens to a brand's stock price after an acquisition and what it means for investors. Explore our database.
Who Brands StaffJun 24, 2026
AcquisitionsStock PriceTarget Company
Rivalry
Visa vs Mastercard vs Amex: Ownership and Structure
Visa handles 52% of US card volume ($17T network). Mastercard has 25% (ROE 210%). Amex is closed-loop with Berkshire owning 21%. Discover Visa vs Mastercard vs Amex ownership. Explore our database.
Who Brands StaffOct 16, 2026
VisaMastercardAmerican Express
Consumer Education
How to Support Truly Independent Brands
Finding genuinely independent brands requires more than reading labels. Here is a practical, sourced guide to identifying and supporting brands that are not owned by large multinationals.
Who Brands StaffApr 14, 2026
Independent BrandsBrand OwnershipConsumer Research
People Also Searched
Discover popular brands and companies in the Finance & Fintech category and related searches from other users.
Brandbuy-now-pay-later
Afterpay
Block's buy-now-pay-later brand, offering interest-free installment payments across a global merchant network, acquired in 2022 for $29 billion.
Brand in Finance & Fintech
bnplfintech
Brandinvestment-technology
Aladdin
Comprehensive investment management technology platform developed by BlackRock, providing portfolio management, risk analytics, and trading solutions for institutional investors and asset managers.
Brand in Finance & Fintech
portfolio-managementrisk-analytics
Brandasset-management
AllianceBernstein
Global asset management brand majority owned by Equitable Holdings, managing roughly $850 billion in equities, fixed income, and alternatives from Nashville.
Brand in Finance & Fintech
investmentsmutual-funds