Vantiv goes global with $10-billion Worldpay buy

Payment firms targets for credit card companies, banks to capitalise on cash to digital transactions

US credit card processor Vantiv agreed to buy Britain's Worldpay for 7.7 billion euros ($10 billion) on Wednesday in a move expected to trigger further deals.

Payments companies have become targets for credit card companies and banks seeking to capitalise on a switch from cash transactions to paying by smartphone or other mobile device, with Danish payment services firm Nets A/S revealing it had been approached by potential buyers.

Shares in Worldpay rose by nearly 28 per cent on Tuesday when Britain's largest payments firm said it had received approaches from both Vantiv and JPMorgan, which is Worldpay's corporate broker.

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