Visa said on 3 August that it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire BioCatch, an Israeli provider of behaviour-based fraud intelligence, for $2.4bn in cash from funds advised by Permira and other shareholders.
Why Visa Inc. is buying BioCatch
Visa said BioCatch's behavioural and device intelligence would complement its cyber, fraud, risk and security products and help banks detect account takeovers, scams, money mules and application fraud earlier in the customer journey. BioCatch will sit within Visa's value-added services business.
“BioCatch will help our clients stop fraud before it reaches the point of payment.”
Deal terms and financing
The consideration is $2.4bn in cash. BioCatch's technology analyses thousands of signals such as keystrokes, touch gestures and device handling, protects 1.8 billion devices and serves more than 350 banking clients in 21 countries, including over 100 of the world's largest banks.
Regulatory approvals and timing
The deal is subject to customary conditions including regulatory approvals and is expected to close by the end of Visa's fiscal second quarter of 2027.
Market context
Permira bought a controlling stake of about 60% in BioCatch in 2024 at a valuation of around $1.3bn, according to Israeli press reports, so the sale roughly doubles that valuation in about two years.
