Segment Reporting and Major Customers - Operating Results (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Segment Reporting
Share-based compensation	$ 8,407	$ 13,069	$ 28,462	$ 33,792
Operating income	199,692	155,327	560,123	442,835
Nonoperating expenses, net	(28,835)	(30,368)	(88,780)	(82,225)
Income before income taxes and equity in income of equity investments	170,857	124,959	471,343	360,610
Net revenue	852,759	789,588	2,529,719	2,256,169
Add: reimbursable items, interchange and assessment expenses	394,817	357,300	1,124,957	781,684
Total revenues	1,247,576	1,146,888	3,654,676	3,037,853
Issuer Solutions
Segment Reporting
Total revenues	442,230	420,918	1,297,478	1,260,231
Merchant Solutions
Segment Reporting
Total revenues	625,858	571,220	1,798,015	1,276,733
Netspend
Segment Reporting
Total revenues	179,488	154,750	559,183	500,889
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting
Adjusted operating income	260,033	223,567	757,541	637,283
Income before income taxes and equity in income of equity investments	170,857	124,959	471,343	360,610
Net revenue	$ 862,811	$ 796,988	$ 2,562,506	$ 2,282,550
Operating margin on net revenue	30.50%	28.30%	29.90%	28.20%
Operating Segments \| Issuer Solutions
Segment Reporting
Adjusted operating income	$ 147,758	$ 128,949	$ 428,909	$ 392,519
Net revenue	$ 401,074	$ 379,145	$ 1,181,090	$ 1,135,016
Operating margin on net revenue	36.80%	34.00%	36.30%	34.60%
Operating Segments \| Merchant Solutions
Segment Reporting
Adjusted operating income	$ 103,275	$ 90,784	$ 296,551	$ 219,056
Net revenue	$ 281,819	$ 262,494	$ 820,968	$ 644,573
Operating margin on net revenue	36.60%	34.60%	36.10%	34.00%
Operating Segments \| Netspend
Segment Reporting
Adjusted operating income	$ 48,560	$ 40,856	$ 143,251	$ 125,538
Net revenue	$ 179,918	$ 155,349	$ 560,448	$ 502,961
Operating margin on net revenue	27.00%	26.30%	25.60%	25.00%
Corporate Administration and Other
Segment Reporting
Adjusted operating income	$ (39,560)	$ (37,022)	$ (111,170)	$ (99,830)
Intersegment
Segment Reporting
Net revenue	(10,052)	(7,400)	(32,787)	(26,381)
Segment Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting
TransFirst M&A and integration expenses	1,052	1,830	10,086	25,908
Litigation, claims, judgements or settlements	26		1,904
Acquisition intangible amortization	$ 50,856	$ 53,341	$ 156,966	$ 134,748

The amount of adjusted Operating income calculated during the reporting period.

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Costs incurred to effect a business combination which have been expensed during the period. Such costs could include business integration costs, systems integration and conversion costs, and severance and other employee-related costs.

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Amount of income (loss) from continuing operations before deduction of income tax expense (benefit) and income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest, and addition of income (loss) from equity method investments.

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