Worldline Shares Plunge After 'Dirty Payments' Probe

Shares of French payments firm Worldline plunged by over 20% to more than 40% following a 'Dirty Payments' investigation by 21 European media outlets, which accused the company of concealing client fraud to protect revenues. The probe, based on internal documents, alleged that Worldline knowingly accepted high-risk clients from sectors such as online gambling, adult entertainment, and dating, even after regulatory warnings. In response, Worldline stated it has strengthened merchant risk controls since 2023, reviewed high-brand-risk clients, and ended relationships with non-compliant merchants, resulting in a €130 million revenue impact in 2024. The company, which recently appointed a new CEO, reported a net loss of €297 million in 2024 and continues to face financial challenges. Despite Worldline's claim of a 'zero-tolerance' policy and a below-industry-average fraud ratio, the revelations have intensified scrutiny of its compliance and risk management practices. Worldline maintains ongoing dialogue with regulators and insists meaningful steps have been taken to address the issues.