Exclusive-Visa-backed payments firm Conductor readies U.S. IPO - sources

FILE PHOTO: Consumers shop at a supermarket in Sao Paulo, Brazil January 11, 2017. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker/File Photo

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian payments firm Conductor has hired banks for an initial public offering in the United States that could come as early as this year, as Latin America's financial sector is enlivened by the arrival of several newcomers, three sources familiar with the matter said.

Conductor, which is backed by venture capital firm Riverwood Capital and payments processor Visa Inc, is a provider of technology for financial services. Its tools allow retailers, banks and financial startups to offer credit cards and payment wallets to their clients, for instance.