The company’s shares have dropped more than 96 per cent in value since mid-2021.
Last year, it lost €130 million in annual revenue after removing clients from high-risk sectors.
A Worldline office building in the Netherlands
Shares in Worldline (EPA: WLN) plunged by more than 40 per cent today (Wednesday) before showing some recovery following an investigation by 21 European media outlets, which alleged that the payments firm covered up client fraud to protect its revenue.
Movement of Worldline stocks today (Source: Google Finance)
“Dirty Payments” Investigation
The report, filed under the “Dirty Payments” investigation, was based on confidential internal documents and data from Worldline. It revealed that the French payments firm accepted “questionable” clients across Europe from sectors including adult entertainment, gambling, and dating websites.
In a statement issued after the media report, Worldline said it had “strengthened its merchant risk framework to ensure full compliance with laws and regulations” since 2023.
The company also disclosed that 1.5 per cent of its acquired transaction volumes came from “high-brand risk” sectors, such as online casinos, online stockbroking, and adult dating services. It added that it had ended commercial relationships that were no longer deemed suitable.
“As indicated in previous financial communications, these decisions affected merchants representing €130 million in annual revenue in 2024,” the company stated, also noting that its fraud ratio is below the industry average.
Pierre-Antoine Vacheron, Worldline CEO (Photo: LinkedIn)
Earlier this year, the company onboarded Pierre-Antoine Vacheron as the new CEO.
Despite reiterating its “zero-tolerance” stance on non-compliance, the market responded harshly.
Listed on the Paris Stock Exchange, Worldline shares have been falling since early Wednesday. The stock lost over 41 per cent in a single day, with no sign of support.
Movement of Worldline stocks in last 5 years (Source: Google Finance)
The company generated €4.63 billion in revenue in 2024, an increase of just 0.5 per cent from the previous year. However, it reported a net loss of €297 million for the year, driven by a large mark-to-market charge on preferred shares. Still, this was an improvement from the previous year’s €817 million loss, which was primarily due to a €1.15 billion goodwill write-down tied to its merchant services division.
Shares in Worldline (EPA: WLN) plunged by more than 40 per cent today (Wednesday) before showing some recovery following an investigation by 21 European media outlets, which alleged that the payments firm covered up client fraud to protect its revenue.
Movement of Worldline stocks today (Source: Google Finance)
“Dirty Payments” Investigation
The report, filed under the “Dirty Payments” investigation, was based on confidential internal documents and data from Worldline. It revealed that the French payments firm accepted “questionable” clients across Europe from sectors including adult entertainment, gambling, and dating websites.
In a statement issued after the media report, Worldline said it had “strengthened its merchant risk framework to ensure full compliance with laws and regulations” since 2023.
The company also disclosed that 1.5 per cent of its acquired transaction volumes came from “high-brand risk” sectors, such as online casinos, online stockbroking, and adult dating services. It added that it had ended commercial relationships that were no longer deemed suitable.
“As indicated in previous financial communications, these decisions affected merchants representing €130 million in annual revenue in 2024,” the company stated, also noting that its fraud ratio is below the industry average.
Pierre-Antoine Vacheron, Worldline CEO (Photo: LinkedIn)
Earlier this year, the company onboarded Pierre-Antoine Vacheron as the new CEO.
Despite reiterating its “zero-tolerance” stance on non-compliance, the market responded harshly.
Listed on the Paris Stock Exchange, Worldline shares have been falling since early Wednesday. The stock lost over 41 per cent in a single day, with no sign of support.
Movement of Worldline stocks in last 5 years (Source: Google Finance)
The company generated €4.63 billion in revenue in 2024, an increase of just 0.5 per cent from the previous year. However, it reported a net loss of €297 million for the year, driven by a large mark-to-market charge on preferred shares. Still, this was an improvement from the previous year’s €817 million loss, which was primarily due to a €1.15 billion goodwill write-down tied to its merchant services division.
Arnab is an electronics engineer-turned-financial editor. He entered the industry covering the cryptocurrency market for Finance Magnates and later expanded his reach to forex as well. He is passionate about the changing regulatory landscape on financial markets and keenly follows the disruptions in the industry with new-age technologies.
United Fintech Scores Sixth Backer Days After Barclays Deal
Executive Interview | Charlotte Bullock | Chief Product Officer, Bank of London | FMLS:25
Executive Interview | Charlotte Bullock | Chief Product Officer, Bank of London | FMLS:25
In this interview, we sat down with Charlotte Bullock, Head of Product at The Bank of London, previously at SAP and now shaping product at one of the sector’s most ambitious new banking players.
Charlotte reflects on the Summit so far and talks about the culture inside fintech banks today. We look at the pressures that come with scaling, and how firms can hold onto the nimble approach that made them stand out early on.
We also cover the state of payments ahead of her appearance on the payments roundtable: the blockages financial firms face, the areas that still need fixing, and what a realistic solution looks like in 2026.
In this interview, we sat down with Charlotte Bullock, Head of Product at The Bank of London, previously at SAP and now shaping product at one of the sector’s most ambitious new banking players.
Charlotte reflects on the Summit so far and talks about the culture inside fintech banks today. We look at the pressures that come with scaling, and how firms can hold onto the nimble approach that made them stand out early on.
We also cover the state of payments ahead of her appearance on the payments roundtable: the blockages financial firms face, the areas that still need fixing, and what a realistic solution looks like in 2026.
In this conversation, we sit down with Drew Niv, CSO at ATFX Connect and one of the most influential figures in modern FX.
We speak about market structure, the institutional view on liquidity, and the sharp rise of prop trading, a sector Drew has been commenting on in recent months. Drew explains why he once dismissed prop trading, why his view changed, and what he now thinks the model means for brokers, clients and risk managers.
We explore subscription-fee dependency, the high reneging rate, and the long-term challenge: how brokers can build a more stable and honest version of the model. Drew also talks about the traffic advantage standalone prop firms have built and why brokers may still win in the long run if they take the right approach.
In this conversation, we sit down with Drew Niv, CSO at ATFX Connect and one of the most influential figures in modern FX.
We speak about market structure, the institutional view on liquidity, and the sharp rise of prop trading, a sector Drew has been commenting on in recent months. Drew explains why he once dismissed prop trading, why his view changed, and what he now thinks the model means for brokers, clients and risk managers.
We explore subscription-fee dependency, the high reneging rate, and the long-term challenge: how brokers can build a more stable and honest version of the model. Drew also talks about the traffic advantage standalone prop firms have built and why brokers may still win in the long run if they take the right approach.
Executive Interview | Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller| CEO & Founder Muinmos | FMLS:25
Executive Interview | Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller| CEO & Founder Muinmos | FMLS:25
In this interview, Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller, founder of Muinmos, breaks down the state of AI in regtech and what responsible adoption really looks like for brokers. We talk about rising fragmentation, the pressures around compliance accuracy, and why most firms are still in the early stages of AI maturity.
Ramanda also shares insights on regulator sandboxes, shifting expectations around accountability, and the current reality of MiCA licensing and passporting in Europe.
A concise look at where compliance, onboarding, and AI-driven processes are heading next.
In this interview, Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller, founder of Muinmos, breaks down the state of AI in regtech and what responsible adoption really looks like for brokers. We talk about rising fragmentation, the pressures around compliance accuracy, and why most firms are still in the early stages of AI maturity.
Ramanda also shares insights on regulator sandboxes, shifting expectations around accountability, and the current reality of MiCA licensing and passporting in Europe.
A concise look at where compliance, onboarding, and AI-driven processes are heading next.
In this conversation, we speak with Aydin Bonabi, CEO and co-founder of Surveill, a firm focused on fraud detection and AI-driven compliance tools for financial institutions.
We start with Aydin’s view of the Summit and the challenges brokers face as fraud tactics grow more complex. He explains how firms can stay ahead through real-time signals, data patterns, and early-stage detection.
We also talk about AI training and why compliance teams often struggle to keep models accurate, fair, and aligned with regulatory expectations. Aydin breaks down what “good” AI training looks like inside a financial environment, including the importance of clean data, domain expertise, and human oversight.
He closes with a clear message: fraud is scaling, and so must the tools that stop it.
In this conversation, we speak with Aydin Bonabi, CEO and co-founder of Surveill, a firm focused on fraud detection and AI-driven compliance tools for financial institutions.
We start with Aydin’s view of the Summit and the challenges brokers face as fraud tactics grow more complex. He explains how firms can stay ahead through real-time signals, data patterns, and early-stage detection.
We also talk about AI training and why compliance teams often struggle to keep models accurate, fair, and aligned with regulatory expectations. Aydin breaks down what “good” AI training looks like inside a financial environment, including the importance of clean data, domain expertise, and human oversight.
He closes with a clear message: fraud is scaling, and so must the tools that stop it.
Exness expands its presence in Africa: Inside our interview with Paul Margarites in Cape Town
Exness expands its presence in Africa: Inside our interview with Paul Margarites in Cape Town
Finance Magnates met with Paul Margarites, Exness regional commercial director for Sub-Saharan Africa, during a visit to the firm’s office opening in Cape Town. In this talk, led by Andrea Badiola Mateos, Co-CEO at Finance Magnates, Paul shares views on the South African trading space, local user behavior, mobile trends, regulation, team growth, and how Exness plans to grow in more markets across the region. @Exness
Read the article at: https://www.financemagnates.com/thought-leadership/exness-expands-its-presence-in-africa-inside-our-interview-with-paul-margarites/
#exness #financemagnates #exnesstrading #CFDtrading #tradeonline #africanews #capetown
Finance Magnates met with Paul Margarites, Exness regional commercial director for Sub-Saharan Africa, during a visit to the firm’s office opening in Cape Town. In this talk, led by Andrea Badiola Mateos, Co-CEO at Finance Magnates, Paul shares views on the South African trading space, local user behavior, mobile trends, regulation, team growth, and how Exness plans to grow in more markets across the region. @Exness
Read the article at: https://www.financemagnates.com/thought-leadership/exness-expands-its-presence-in-africa-inside-our-interview-with-paul-margarites/
#exness #financemagnates #exnesstrading #CFDtrading #tradeonline #africanews #capetown
