Stripe and private equity giant Advent International have reportedly made an offer to acquire PayPal at $60.50 per share. If finalized, this would rank among the largest fintech acquisitions in history.
The offer represents a significant premium from where PayPal was trading when acquisition rumors first surfaced in February 2026. The discussions appear active, but the gap between exploratory talks and a signed deal remains substantial.
The move carries a significant stablecoin dimension. Stripe has aggressively built out its crypto infrastructure, acquiring Bridge for $1.1 billion in 2025. PayPal, meanwhile, has developed its own dollar-backed stablecoin, PYUSD.
For investors, the regulatory path is the critical hurdle. Combining two global payments giants would trigger intense antitrust scrutiny in both the US and Europe. While the $60.50 price offers a premium over recent trading levels, it is a fraction of PayPal's former $300 billion valuation.