CADE clears the acquisition of Linx by Stone

In the hearing of this Wednesday, the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) cleared the full acquisition of Linx by the firm STNE Participações, which is part of the Stone Group. The Tribunal of CADE unconditionally cleared the transaction.

The firm STNE Participações and the Stone Group provide payment services, including the development of the technological structure for data collection, transmission and processing, as well as settlement of transactions. Additionally, the firms operate in the sectors of payment processing, online gateway services, business management softwares, credits, wire transfer, and quick delivery services, with focus on the retail sector.

Linx is a Brazilian web-based technology company that provides business management software through a software-as-a-service model (SaaS).

In March 2021, CADE's Office of the General Superintendent cleared the transaction unconditionally and, days later, companies Adyen do Brasil, Banco Safra, and Cielo, who had been admitted as interested third parties to the case, appealed the decision. As a result, the proceedings were submitted to CADE's Tribunal, where Commissioner Sérgio Ravagnani served as the case's rapporteur.

Access Case no. 08700.003969/2020-17.