Stripe and Advent International submit $53.4 billion joint bid for PayPal

Stripe and private equity firm Advent International have reportedly submitted a joint bid to acquire PayPal, valuing the deal at approximately $53.4 billion. According to reports from Reuters, the offer was lodged earlier this month and is supported by roughly $50 billion in committed bank financing. Under the terms of the proposal, Stripe and Advent would hold equal ownership stakes in the acquired company.

This development follows earlier speculation in February, when reports indicated that Stripe had been exploring a potential takeover and engaged in preliminary discussions, though no formal proposal was made at that time. If the acquisition proceeds, it would consolidate two of the largest entities in the digital payments sector, bringing together PayPal’s extensive consumer base with Stripe’s rapidly growing business infrastructure.

PayPal currently serves approximately 440 million active accounts and processed around $1.8 trillion in payment volume during 2025. In comparison, Stripe processed $1.9 trillion in payments over the same period and achieved a valuation of $159 billion earlier this year. The combined scale of these operations would create a formidable presence in the global financial technology market.

The potential acquisition arrives at a critical juncture for PayPal’s strategic direction. New CEO Enrique Lores assumed leadership in March following a profit warning and has since outlined plans to cut at least $1.5 billion in costs over the next two to three years. Reports also suggest the company intends to reduce its workforce by approximately 20% as part of efforts to return to stronger growth trajectories.

PayPal, Stripe, and Advent International did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the reported bid. The acquisition remains unconfirmed, and no formal agreement has been reached between the parties involved.