Financial technology leader FIS has officially finalized its acquisition of a majority stake in Virtus Partners, a strategic move poised to significantly enhance its capital markets offerings. This acquisition of Virtus Partners is set to create a more connected and comprehensive lending ecosystem, bridging the gap between buy-side and sell-side operations within the financial industry. By integrating Virtus Partners’ specialized capabilities, FIS is expanding its asset class coverage and deepening its expertise, particularly within the increasingly vital credit market.
Andrew Bateman, senior vice president of capital market solutions, buy-side at FIS, highlighted the strategic rationale behind the acquisition of Virtus Partners. He stated, “Virtus is recognized in the market as a rapidly growing, leading provider of high-value managed services and technology solutions, with a specialized focus on the credit and loan markets.” Bateman emphasized that “The integration of Virtus Partners’ credit and loan market solutions is a key factor in expanding our capital markets portfolio. This strategic alignment empowers FIS to connect the entire lending value chain, effectively serving both buy-side and sell-side clients with enhanced and integrated solutions.”
Explaining FIS’s decision to acquire Virtus Partners, Bateman elaborated on the company’s ongoing commitment to service enhancement. “At FIS, we are consistently seeking opportunities to enhance the breadth and depth of services we offer to our valued customers. Within the dynamic capital markets sector, FIS has cultivated a robust position, not only in pioneering technology but also increasingly in delivering comprehensive services that extend beyond technology alone.” He continued, “The Virtus Partners portfolio brings a wealth of new solutions, specialized services, and highly skilled talent into FIS. This addition is set to significantly enrich our existing offerings, providing greater value to our clients and further solidifying our unique position in empowering investors, traders, insurers, and risk managers globally. Our combined capabilities will enable these professionals to efficiently move, manage, and grow capital within the complexities of global securities markets.”
Bateman further detailed the core benefits of the Virtus Partners acquisition, emphasizing the integration of high-value business process as a service (BPaaS) model alongside cutting-edge front-to-back technology solutions. “Virtus Partners brings a compelling combination of business process expertise and advanced technology that strongly complements FIS’s strategic direction. This acquisition perfectly aligns with our strategic growth objectives, particularly in expanding our technology-driven business process service offerings, allowing us to provide more holistic and efficient solutions to our clients,” Bateman explained.
The credit market’s rapid growth trajectory was cited by Bateman as a key driver for the acquisition of Virtus Partners. “The credit market stands out as one of the fastest-expanding segments within the financial industry. FIS already has a strong foothold and established customer base within this market, serving private equity firms, hedge funds, and asset managers who are actively investing in credit,” he noted. “The integration of Virtus Partners allows us to extend our reach and capabilities within this critical market. It effectively addresses key gaps in our existing portfolio and, crucially, enables us to comprehensively connect the entire lending value chain, encompassing both the buy-side and sell-side perspectives.”
Bateman concluded, “By bringing Virtus Partners into FIS, we are uniquely positioned to serve the full spectrum of the lending lifecycle. We are now equipped to support both investors actively participating in the credit space and clients originating loans. This synergy between FIS and Virtus Partners creates a powerful combination, enhancing our expertise and service delivery across the entire credit space. This advancement is underpinned by our commitment to technology and innovation, as we continually modernize our platforms, leverage emerging technologies, and expand our SaaS-based solutions, utilizing the public cloud in relevant markets to deliver cutting-edge solutions.”
