Company Overview
First Data was founded in 1971 as a data processing subsidiary of American Express, and spun off as First Data Corporation in 1992. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, First Data is one of the oldest and largest payment processing companies in the world, processing over $2 trillion in transactions annually.
In 2019, Fiserv acquired First Data in a $22 billion all-stock transaction. Following the acquisition, First Data became Fiserv's Merchant Solutions division, with its Clover POS platform and merchant processing capabilities complementing Fiserv's core banking systems.
Related provider: First Data Merchant Services
Product Portfolio
🛒 Merchant Processing
| Product | Description |
|---|---|
| First Data Merchant Processing | Credit and debit card transaction processing supporting Visa, Mastercard, AmEx, and more |
| First Data Global Gateway e4 | Enterprise payment gateway API supporting online and mobile payment integration |
| First Data Gateway | Full-featured payment gateway supporting multi-currency and multi-channel payments |
💳 POS Terminals
| Product | Description |
|---|---|
| Clover POS Platform | Smart POS system for SMBs supporting payments, inventory, employee management, and CRM |
| First Data Terminal Solutions | Traditional physical POS terminal hardware and software solutions |
📄 Check & Settlement
| Product | Description |
|---|---|
| First Data TeleCheck | Electronic check processing and guarantee services |
| First Data Settlement | Transaction settlement and reconciliation services |
Core Strengths
Industry Pioneer: Over 50 years of payment processing experience, among the first companies to enter the electronic payments space
Transaction Scale: Processes $2T+ in transactions annually, covering millions of merchants globally
Clover Ecosystem: Open POS application platform with a large third-party developer community
Fiserv Group Resources: As a Fiserv subsidiary, leverages the group's comprehensive banking and fintech capabilities
Key Competitors
| Company | Headquarters | Core Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Paymentech | Plano, TX, USA | Merchant acquiring, payment gateway |
| Global Payments | Atlanta, GA, USA | Merchant acquiring, payment processing |
| Elavon | Atlanta, GA, USA | Global payment processing, gateway |
| Block (Square) | San Francisco, CA, USA | SMB POS, mobile payments |
| Stripe | San Francisco, CA, USA | Online payment platform |
| Worldpay (FIS) | Cincinnati, OH, USA | Global payment processing, acquiring |
Key Milestones
- 1971：Founded as a data processing subsidiary of American Express
- 1992：Spun off as independent First Data Corporation
- 2019：Acquired by Fiserv for $22 billion, becoming its Merchant Solutions division
- 2026：Continues serving global merchants as a core component of Fiserv
