Visa to acquire BioCatch for $2.4 billion in cash
The deal adds behavioral biometrics fraud detection to Visa's fast-growing value-added services business as banks face a rise in AI-driven scams and account takeovers.
Visa said it will acquire Tel Aviv-based fraud detection startup BioCatch for $2.4 billion in cash, adding behavioral biometrics technology that analyzes how users interact with devices to help detect scammers, bots and account takeovers. BioCatch examines signals such as typing speed, swipe patterns, mouse movements, touch pressure and device handling across billions of user sessions, and says it protects more than 680 million accounts worldwide across more than 350 banks. Visa's interest comes as digital fraud has shifted from stolen card data toward more complex scams and credential theft that can make transactions look legitimate to traditional rule-based systems. The acquisition would deepen Visa's cyber and fraud prevention offering inside its value-added services business, which has become one of its fastest-growing divisions. The transaction is expected to close by the end of Visa's fiscal second quarter of 2027, pending regulatory approvals.
- behavioral biometrics: A fraud detection method that analyzes how people interact with devices, such as typing rhythm or screen swipes, to help distinguish legitimate users from scammers or bots.
- account takeovers: Fraud incidents in which criminals gain control of a legitimate user's financial account to make unauthorized transactions.