Stripe is reportedly exploring the possibility of acquiring PayPal, either in whole or in part, as per a recent Bloomberg report. The discussions are reportedly in the early stages and may not result in a deal.
This news surfaced on the day when Stripe released its yearly letter to investors, unveiling a fresh tender offer that values the company at $159 billion. This valuation marks a significant 74% surge from the previous year. Noteworthy investors participating in the share purchase comprise Andreessen Horowitz and Thrive Capital, with plans for the company to buy back some stock from its employees.
Based in Dublin, Stripe was co-established by Patrick Collison, who has previously expressed that the company’s public listing is not a top priority. In contrast, PayPal is a publicly traded firm boasting a market capitalization of around $40 billion. The company’s offerings span the PayPal payments platform along with services like Venmo.
Following reports of Stripe’s potential interest, PayPal’s shares experienced a slight uptick.