Mastercard has agreed to acquire global threat intelligence company Recorded Future from Insight Partners, the venture capital and private equity firm, for $2.65 billion (£2bn~).

Amid a changing cybercrime landscape, the deal is being made in a move to expand Mastercard’s threat intelligence services, building on Mastercard’s existing suite of services for cyber-resilience.

Recorded Future is one of the world’s largest threat intelligence companies, with over 1,900 clients across 75 countries, including the governments of 45 countries and over 50% of the Fortune 100.

Mastercard said that Recorded Future’s real-time visibility into potential threats, alongside its use of AI and other innovative technologies, will “add to Mastercard’s identity, fraud prevention, real-time decisioning and cybersecurity services, bringing expanded threat intelligence capabilities to its network of merchants and financial institutions.”

Both companies already utilise AI to identify potential threats and help protect people and businesses. But the global payments company said that by combining these teams, technologies, and expertise, it will “enable the development of even more robust practices and drive greater synergies in cybersecurity and intelligence.”

The deal, which is anticipated to close by 2025’s first quarter, is subject to regulatory review and other customary closing conditions.

Speaking on the newly-announced agreement, Christopher Ahlberg, CEO of Recorded Future, commented: “Fifteen years ago, we created Recorded Future with a simple goal to secure the world with intelligence.

“By joining Mastercard, we see an opportunity to help more businesses and governments determine the steps to realize their full potential – and to enable everyone to feel safer in their daily lives.”

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“Trust is the foundation of any relationship,” said Craig Vosburg, chief services officer at Mastercard. “Recorded Future adds to how we deliver that greater peace of mind before, during and after the payment transaction.

“Together we will innovate faster, create smarter models and anticipate emerging threats before cyberattacks can take place – in payments and beyond.”