How we pay for things is changing, and payment companies are merging to adapt

Two companies you’ve definitely used but probably never heard of are merging. Global Payments is buying Total System Services in an all stock deal worth $21.5 billion. They are what are called payment processing companies — any time you swipe your card card or dip that chip at a restaurant or convenience store, they or companies like them are on the back end making it happen. Payment processing companies have been on a merger bender, and it tells us a lot about how the way we pay for things is changing.

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