Vantiv Inc (NYSE:VNTV), the US credit-card processor giant has made a bid for the UK payments group Worldpay Group Inc worth $10bn.
Vantiv is offering a share and cash deal valuing Worldpay at about 19% of its closing share price before bid speculation, that also involved J.P. Morgan Chase & Co (NYSE:JPM).
The UK listed firm on Wednesday said it had agreed in principle with Vantiv.
It would create a trans-Atlantic payments processing giant with a combined market value of more than $20bn.
JP Morgan, however, still has until August 1 to make a firm offer.
Ohio-based Vantiv helps merchants, banks and credit unions accept credit- and debit-card payments, as well as gift cards and online payments mainly in the U.S.A.