Stripe, Advent make $53B joint offer to acquire PayPal

Stripe and private equity firm Advent International have submitted a joint offer to acquire PayPal ↗ 0.27% for more than $53 billion, according to a Reuters exclusive report published late Monday. The bid of $60.50 per share represents a roughly 28% premium to PayPal's closing price on Tuesday, July 14.reuters+2

The offer is backed by approximately $50 billion in committed bank financing, according to people familiar with the matter. PayPal shares surged in after-hours trading following the news.bloomberg+1

From Preliminary Interest to a Formal Bid

The offer marks a dramatic escalation from earlier this year, when Bloomberg first reported in February that Stripe had expressed preliminary interest in acquiring all or parts of PayPal. At the time, PayPal said it was not in active talks with Stripe or any other firm about a sale, and the company had been working with advisors to prepare defenses against possible hostile approaches.cnbc+4

PayPal has struggled in recent years, with its stock falling roughly 31% in 2025 and declining further in 2026. The company replaced CEO Alex Chriss earlier this year amid a muted profit outlook, and its market capitalization had dropped to around $42 billion before the bid emerged — a far cry from its peak valuation of $356 billion in July 2021.rte+4

A Potential Fintech Megadeal

If completed, the deal would rank among the largest fintech acquisitions ever and would combine Stripe's developer-focused payment infrastructure — underpinned by a private valuation of $159 billion — with PayPal's massive consumer base and merchant network, which processes roughly $1.8 trillion in annual payment volume. PayPal's portfolio includes Venmo, Braintree, and other consumer-facing brands.barchart+2

The transaction would face substantial regulatory scrutiny, given the combined entity's dominance in online payments. The Federal Trade Commission earlier this year sent letters to both companies' CEOs warning against anti-competitive practices.bankingdive

What Comes Next

Neither Stripe, Advent, nor PayPal have publicly commented on the offer. Wall Street analysts had recently assigned PayPal an average price target of around $48 to $54, with a consensus "Hold" rating — figures now eclipsed by the bid price. Whether PayPal's board engages with the offer or seeks competing bids will likely determine the next chapter for one of the original pioneers of digital payments.cnbc+2