SoFi / Galileo 2020
SoFi acquired Galileo Financial Technologies for $1.2B on April 7, 2020.
- Target
- Galileo Financial Technologies
- Acquirer
- SoFi
- Deal value
- $1.2B
- Deal type
- Mixed
- Announced
- April 7, 2020
- Sub-sector
- BaaS
Transaction overview
- SoFi announced a definitive agreement to acquire Galileo Financial Technologies on April 7, 2020.
- Total purchase consideration was $1.2 billion, paid in a mix of cash and stock.
- Galileo processed over $53 billion in annualized payments volume in March 2020, up from $26 billion in September 2019.
- Galileo is a Salt Lake City-based API platform for card issuing, backed by Accel.
- SoFi described itself as serving more than one million members across borrowing, saving, spending, and investing products.
- Galileo was to continue operating as an independent subsidiary of Social Finance Inc., with Clay Wilkes remaining as CEO.
- The deal was subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
Why it matters
- The deal extended SoFi's infrastructure reach to Galileo's existing fintech, financial services, and investment firm partners.
- Galileo's annualized payments volume doubled from $26 billion in September 2019 to $53 billion in March 2020, reflecting rapid growth in digital payments.
Strategic rationale
SoFi acquires API-based payments and BaaS platform to extend its consumer fintech into infrastructure-as-a-service for other fintechs and banks.
Deal terms & multiples
Advisors on the transaction
Public reporting named the following firms as advisors to the parties in the transaction.
- SoFi
- Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Citigroup (financial), WilmerHale (legal). Galileo: Qatalyst Partners (financial), Dorsey & Whitney (legal).
Frequently asked questions
How much did SoFi pay for Galileo?
SoFi paid $1.2 billion in a combination of cash and stock. The exact split between cash and stock was not disclosed in the announcement.
When did SoFi announce the acquisition of Galileo?
SoFi announced the definitive agreement on April 7, 2020.
What does Galileo Financial Technologies do?
Galileo provides open APIs for card issuing and payments infrastructure, covering account setup, direct deposit, ACH transfer, bill pay, and point-of-sale authorization. Its platform serves fintechs, financial services firms, and investment companies.
Did Galileo operate independently after the acquisition?
Yes. Galileo continued as an independent subsidiary of Social Finance Inc., with Clay Wilkes remaining as CEO.
What was Galileo's payments volume at the time of the deal?
Galileo processed over $53 billion in annualized payments volume in March 2020, up from $26 billion in September 2019.
Who advised SoFi and Galileo on the transaction?
Goldman Sachs and Citigroup advised SoFi on the financial side, with WilmerHale as legal counsel. Qatalyst Partners advised Galileo financially, and Dorsey & Whitney served as its legal advisor.
Sources
- techcrunch.com /2020/04/07/another-major-fintech-exit-as-sofi-acquires-banking-and-payments-platform-galileo-for-1-2b/