Stripe reportedly in talks to buy PayPal in potential $60B takeover deal

Stripe may be sizing up one of the biggest fintech deals ever. PayPal shares jumped nearly 7% Tuesday after Bloomberg reported that the privately held payments giant is in early discussions about buying the company in a transaction that could exceed $60 billion. The report, citing people familiar with the matter, said Stripe is evaluating whether to acquire all or parts of PayPal’s business.

“Payment processing firm Stripe Inc. is considering an acquisition of all or parts of PayPal Holdings Inc., Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

“Stripe, which is closely held and is among the industry’s most valuable companies, has expressed preliminary interest in a potential acquisition of the digital payments pioneer or its assets, the people said, asking not to be identified because the matter is private,” Bloomberg added.

Both companies declined to comment.

PayPal stock jumps nearly 7% after report Stripe is weighing $60B acquisition

The market reaction was swift. Investors pushed PayPal’s stock higher on hopes that fresh interest could revive the once-dominant payments player, which has struggled to regain momentum in a crowded fintech market. The company’s shares are down more than 19% since the start of the year, and it lost close to a third of its value across 2025.

Pressure has been building inside PayPal for months. Earlier this month, the stock slid after weak profit guidance, and the board tapped HP’s Enrique Lores as the company’s next CEO, with the transition set for early March. The leadership change signaled a push to reset strategy amid intensifying competition in digital payments.

Stripe, meanwhile, has been moving in the opposite direction. The company reached a $159 billion valuation this week after completing a secondary share sale for employees and early investors, a sharp climb from $91.5 billion a year ago. The company said in a recent business update that its revenue suite is on track to hit a $1 billion annual run rate this year.

The potential deal would mark a striking turn in the fintech story. Stripe built its reputation by focusing on developers and internet businesses, gradually expanding into billing, subscriptions, and financial tools. PayPal, once the default checkout button across the web, has been working to defend its position as newer payment options chip away at its lead.

Stripe has stayed private even as speculation about an IPO continues to surface. Co-founder and president John Collison told CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin on Tuesday that going public is not the company’s current focus, signaling that product and business growth remain the priority.

For now, talks appear preliminary, and there is no guarantee a transaction will materialize. Still, the mere prospect of Stripe circling PayPal was enough to jolt the payments sector and reignite debate over fintech consolidation.

If discussions progress, the deal could reshape the competitive map for digital payments and create one of the largest private-to-public platform combinations the industry has seen in years.