You may not know it, but every time you swipe your credit card, a whole world of transactions takes place in the background. And Vantiv exists to manage that world. Operating through subsidiaries, Vantiv is the US's second-largest merchant acquirer -- that is, a third-party payment processor operating between merchants and customers, and their respective banks. The company also handles PIN transactions, fraud detection and management, and credit card issuing for financials institutions. Vantiv Caters to merchants of all sizes, including top retailers, grocers, pharmacies, and restaurants. It also serves small to mid-sized banks and credit unions. Formed in 1970, Vantiv went public in 2012.