Revenue Recognition - Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 3,832	$ 3,786	$ 3,465	$ 3,769	$ 4,045	$ 3,128	$ 1,512	$ 1,502	$ 14,852	$ 10,187	$ 5,823
Operating segments | Acceptance
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									5,522	2,571
Operating segments | Fintech
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									2,901	2,942	2,917
Operating segments | Payments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									5,504	3,909	2,408
Corporate and Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									925	765	498
Processing
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									10,528	6,863	3,408
Processing | Operating segments | Acceptance
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									4,696	2,205
Processing | Operating segments | Fintech
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									1,426	1,382	1,345
Processing | Operating segments | Payments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									4,348	3,110	1,900
Processing | Corporate and Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									58	166	163
Hardware, print and card production
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									1,536	832	345
Hardware, print and card production | Operating segments | Acceptance
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									714	323
Hardware, print and card production | Operating segments | Fintech
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									51	51	41
Hardware, print and card production | Operating segments | Payments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									771	458	304
Hardware, print and card production | Corporate and Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									0	0	0
Professional services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									728	669	577
Professional services | Operating segments | Acceptance
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									29	4
Professional services | Operating segments | Fintech
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									465	483	483
Professional services | Operating segments | Payments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									233	172	86
Professional services | Corporate and Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									1	10	8
Software maintenance
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									568	588	595
Software maintenance | Operating segments | Acceptance
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									0	0
Software maintenance | Operating segments | Fintech
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									563	570	577
Software maintenance | Operating segments | Payments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									3	3	3
Software maintenance | Corporate and Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									2	15	15
License and termination fees
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									285	325	313
License and termination fees | Operating segments | Acceptance
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									28	9
License and termination fees | Operating segments | Fintech
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									189	255	277
License and termination fees | Operating segments | Payments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									68	59	32
License and termination fees | Corporate and Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									0	2	4
Output solutions postage
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									864	572	308
Output solutions postage | Operating segments | Acceptance
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									0	0
Output solutions postage | Operating segments | Fintech
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									0	0	0
Output solutions postage | Operating segments | Payments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									0	0	0
Output solutions postage | Corporate and Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									864	572	308
Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									343	338	277
Other | Operating segments | Acceptance
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									55	30
Other | Operating segments | Fintech
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									207	201	194
Other | Operating segments | Payments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									81	107	83
Other | Corporate and Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue									$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Revenue from Contract with Customer Benchmark | Non-US | Geographic Concentration Risk
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Percentage of concentration risk									13.00%	12.00%	6.00%