Stripe Inc. has expressed preliminary interest in acquiring all or parts of PayPal Holdings Inc., according to a Bloomberg report from February 24th, citing sources familiar with the matter. The potential transaction, which remains unconfirmed by either company, is seen as adding strategic optionality within the competitive payments landscape.
The news follows Stripe's disclosure of a new valuation of $159 billion, a figure established through a recent tender offer to shareholders and employees. This represents a 74% increase from the company's valuation just one year earlier. The tender offer is reportedly funded by investors including Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and Thrive Capital, with Stripe also committing some of its own capital.
For PayPal, the reported acquisition interest comes amid a period of leadership change and rising competition from major tech players like Apple Pay and Google Pay. Meanwhile, Stripe's strategic position is being strengthened by growth in stablecoin integration and the acquisition of a new banking charter. Stakeholders are now watching for official confirmation, financing signals, and regulatory developments to determine if this exploratory interest will evolve into a formal, structured process.
