RBS's Global Merchant Services card payment, valued at around £3 billion, has received more than a dozen bids by the last night's deadline. Near about 40 firms showed their interest in the unit.

Earlier, RBS invited bids for GMS after the closing of the first round auction for another asset comprising of 318 branches.

The firms, who have already placed their bid, include KKR, Warburg Pincus, Permira, CVC, TPG and Silverlake. Bids were accepted under three categories financials services companies, technology companies and private equity.

Among all the three categories so far private equity firms seem to lead the process. Some PE firms have even joined hands with other strategic bidders. Silverlake Partner, who is the lead runner to win the battle, teamed up with Tsys, a rival US payment services company. Similarly, Advent international and Bain Capital entered the league jointly.

French software firm Altos Origin is currently leading the second category of bidder i. e.; technology companies, while the financial services field is led by JP Morgan Chase Paymentech.

RBS Chief Executive Stephen Hester said that the whole exercise was part of the pressure exerted by the European Union on the bank to sell off Worldpay along with other assets. He also mentioned that the unit had earned an operating profit of £249m in 2009.

None of the bidders have commented so far.