Amadeus buys Idemia Public Security for €1.2B to expand in biometrics
What's the deal? AmadeusDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has agreed to acquire Idemia Public SecurityDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → (IPS), a French biometrics and identity services provider, for €1.2 billion plus a potential earn-out of up to €150 million. The Spanish-listed company disclosed the deal to Spain's National Securities Market Commission (CNMV).
The terms: Amadeus has signed a single-currency syndicated bridge loan of €1.2 billion with a group of banks to finance the purchase. The loan runs for one year, with two six-month extensions available at the company's option.
What's the endgame? The deal strengthens Amadeus's biometrics and identity verification capabilities within its travel platform. It follows the 2024 purchase of Vision-BoxDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, which specialises in biometric solutions for airports, airlines, and border control.
What each side brings: IPS employs around 3,300 people and serves more than 600 public and private sector clients. Beyond passenger processing, its solutions cover access control and government-grade biometric identification systems.
Why now? Amadeus first flagged the move in April 2026. The company expects the acquisition to accelerate growth in its airport and border verticals.
What could go wrong? The transaction is subject to the usual regulatory approvals and is not expected to close until mid-2027.
The signal: Amadeus is building out an identity layer for travel, moving beyond its core booking and reservation systems as airports and borders adopt biometric processing. Back-to-back deals — Vision-Box in 2024 and now IPS — point to a bet that identity verification will become central to how passengers move.
Read more: Bolsamanía
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