Payments provider ACI Worldwide is reportedly considering a sale of its billing business, a strategic move that could value the unit at roughly $1.5 billion. This development was first reported by Reuters on Friday (July 17), citing three sources familiar with the matter, and subsequently covered by PYMNTS.com.
The potential divestiture is unfolding amid a period of strong investor demand for payments software and businesses generating recurring revenue, a trend that has fueled significant dealmaking across the industry. Sources told Reuters that ACI Worldwide has initiated collaboration with investment bankers to facilitate the sale and has commenced discussions with prospective buyers, including private equity firms.
Valuation and Business Profile
A sale could see the billing unit valued at approximately $1.5 billion, which represents about 10 to 12 times its projected 2025 adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), according to the sources. The ACI billing business specializes in providing software solutions that assist companies in billing customers and processing digital payment collections.
The unit serves a diverse client base, including prominent entities such as the IRS, affiliates of Blue Cross Blue Shield, Akron Utilities, and Horizon Healthcare Services. Financially, the billing unit generated about $818 million in revenue and $141 million in EBITA in 2025, as cited by Reuters from the company’s annual filing. Notably, while ACI merged its banking and merchant businesses into a single payment software segment in 2025 to simplify its operating structure, the billing unit remained a distinct reporting segment.
ACI’s Strategic Landscape and Industry Context
PYMNTS.com reported reaching out to ACI for comment but had not yet received a reply. The potential sale aligns with ACI Worldwide’s broader strategic activities. Last year, the company acquired financial messaging and open banking solutions provider Payment Components, with plans to integrate its technology into ACI Connetic, ACI’s cloud-native unified payments platform. More recently, ACI teamed with JPMorganChase to enhance fraud prevention, integrating the bank’s Kinexys Liink’s Confirm application into its ACI Fraud and Financial Crime solution.
The payments sector has seen considerable M&A activity, underscoring the robust market demand for specialized financial technology. For instance, payments provider Nuvei agreed last month to acquire payments company Payoneer for $2.75 billion. As covered by PYMNTS.com, this deal aims to combine Nuvei’s payment acceptance capabilities with Payoneer’s cross-border payouts, multi-currency accounts, and banking network, offering same-day and real-time settlement across 150 markets.
This transaction, along with ACI’s potential divestiture, highlights a significant shift within the financial services sector. PYMNTS.com noted that while innovation in cross-border payments previously focused on speed and access, these capabilities are increasingly becoming standard in a market where businesses can leverage multiple payment rails, FinTech providers, and banking partners. The consideration of selling its billing division positions ACI Worldwide to potentially capitalize on this dynamic market environment and streamline its portfolio.
