TransUnion to Acquire RealNetworks Mobile Division | News

TransUnion has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the mobile division of RealNetworks, a transaction announced on February 2, 2026, aimed at enhancing its voice, messaging and fraud-prevention technology offerings, with the deal expected to close in the first half of 2026 subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals. 

TransUnion, a global information and insights company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TRU, said the acquisition of RealNetworks’ mobile business is designed to broaden its communications solutions, particularly in mobile communications security and fraud detection. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. 

According to the announcement, the transaction will integrate RealNetworks’ artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies with TransUnion’s existing fraud solutions to analyse text messages, multimedia messages and phone calls in real time to detect and reduce fraudulent activity and improve customer engagement for businesses and consumers. 

TransUnion said RealNetworks’ mobile division brings established relationships with global telecommunications service providers and network integration experience, and technology that identifies fraudulent messages and calls, enables secure branded calls and detects synthetic and cloned voices during live communications. 

In a statement included in the press release, TransUnion’s Chief Global Solutions Officer Mohamed Abdelsadek noted that mobile phone fraud exceeds an estimated $80 billion annually worldwide—a statistic the company highlighted in connection with the acquisition’s strategic focus on fraud prevention. RealNetworks’ KONTXT messaging platform, which the acquiring company said has blocked billions of spam and scam messages and helped protect hundreds of millions of consumers, forms a core part of the technology being absorbed into TransUnion’s portfolio. 

RealNetworks Chairman and CEO Rob Glaser commented that the mobile division’s work over nearly two decades, including eight years of operating the KONTXT platform, will now continue under TransUnion’s ownership and contribute to expanding consumer protection efforts around the world. 

TransUnion said the deal will be funded from existing cash-on-hand and is not expected to materially affect the company’s leverage, liquidity or operating results for 2026. The transaction remains subject to closing conditions and regulatory approvals. 

TransUnion has previously expanded its technology and data offerings through strategic acquisitions, including a significant purchase of Neustar in 2021 to broaden its identity resolution and fraud mitigation capabilities. Such transactions reflect a pattern in which TransUnion seeks to extend its core credit reporting business into adjacent markets involving fraud prevention, advanced analytics, identity services and secure communications. 

The mobile division acquisition is positioned to complement TransUnion’s Trusted Call Solutions, which embed verified brand information into voice communications to help businesses reach customers with assurance of authenticity. With the addition of RealNetworks’ tools, TransUnion expects to offer a wider suite of voice, messaging and analytics products for industries such as financial services, insurance, healthcare, telecommunications and the public sector. 

Industry observers note that the integration of advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning from RealNetworks could strengthen TransUnion’s competitive position in the market for communications security and fraud detection, a segment that continues to attract investment as fraud schemes evolve and the demand for trusted digital interactions grows.