Visa has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Argentine payments platforms Prisma Medios de Pago and Newpay from private-equity firm Advent International.
Prisma, which was formed in 2014 following the merger of Visa Argentina and Banelco, provides issuer processing for credit, debit and prepaid cards.
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According to a Reuters report, Prisma processes more than six billion transactions a year for the country’s leading banks.
Newpay operates multi-network payments infrastructure in Argentina. Its services include real-time payments capabilities, the Banelco ATM network and the bill payment platform PagoMisCuentas.
In a statement, Visa said the acquisition underscores Visa’s commitment to “providing clients with the advanced capabilities and technologies that accelerate the adoption of innovative payment solutions for consumers and businesses across the country”.
Visa did not disclose the financial terms of the deal.
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By GlobalDataThe transaction is expected to close in its fiscal second quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.
After the deal closes, Visa expects the combination of Prisma’s and Newpay’s technology with its global network and value-added services to help roll out capabilities such as tokenisation, biometric authentication, intelligent risk tools and agentic commerce solutions.
These capabilities are intended to improve issuer services and increase speed and security for consumers.
The card giant also said the combined platform will deliver agnostic processing that supports any card brand processed by Prisma, as well as all payment methods offered by Newpay.
Visa CEO Ryan McInerney said: “This acquisition is an important step for Visa in Argentina, strengthening our client partnerships and advancing innovation across the payments ecosystem.
“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.”
Visa also confirmed that Payway is not included in the agreement. Payway will remain owned by funds managed by Advent International and will continue operating independently as a merchant acquirer.
In the fiscal first quarter of 2026, which ended on 31 December 2025, Visa reported net income of $10.9bn, up 15% from the prior-year period.
