Visa $5.3 Billion Plaid Deal Triggers DOJ Antitrust Worries (3)

Visa Inc.’s $5.3 billion acquisition of Plaid Inc. has raised competition concerns at the U.S. Justice Department, which is nearing a decision about whether to sue to block the deal, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Lawyers at the Justice Department’s antitrust division who are investigating the takeover are worried the deal could allow Visa to acquire a potential competitor, said the people. The division’s leadership hasn’t made a final decision about whether to sue.

Regulators have long had antitrust concerns about the market power Visa and its rival Mastercard Inc. wield over global payments systems. ...