Stripe and Advent weigh $53 billion bid for PayPal

The proposed deal, backed by $50 billion in bank-committed financing, would see Stripe and Advent split ownership equally. If finalized, the acquisition would eclipse major industry milestones, including the $44 billion purchase of Twitter and Microsoft’s $26.2 billion LinkedIn deal. Neither PayPal nor Advent have commented on the reports, and Stripe remains silent.

This offer lands during a period of significant volatility for PayPal. Once a high-flyer with a 2021 market valuation of $360 billion, the company saw its worth plummet to $36 billion earlier this year under pressure from competitors like Apple Pay and Klarna. CEO Enrique Lores, who took the helm in March, is currently executing a restructuring plan to divide the firm into three units and reduce costs by $1.5 billion. A successful bid by Stripe would mark a historic shift, as the younger payment processor moves to absorb a foundational pioneer of the digital economy.