First Data has announced the integration of CardConnect and BluePay, two companies First Data acquired last year.

The strategic combination streamlines First Data's integrated software vendor offering, enabling software companies to more easily add secure payment processing within SaaS, mobile, and point-of-sale applications, according to a press release.

CardConnect and BluePay share a common vision of developing solutions and partnership models that serve ISVs, according to First Data. These offerings consist of:

• APIs and SDKs for integrating omni-channel payments.
• PCI-certified point-to-point encryption (P2PE) and tokenization.
• Partner tools for merchant on-boarding and portfolio management.
• Transparent transaction and residual reporting.
• Sales and marketing programs for driving merchant adoption.

The two companies have merged their technology, operations and sales teams in order to accelerate the development of new ISV-focused technology and deliver increased value to their software partners. 

"First Data is committed to creating an ecosystem that helps the developer and software community realize the full advantages of integrated payments," First Data Chairman and CEO Frank Bisignano said in the release. "We brought CardConnect and BluePay into the First Data family to evolve our ISV business into being a world-class offering. Combining these two organizations is the natural next step in furthering our momentum in the high-growth ISV space."