Stripe and private equity firm Advent International have reportedly submitted a joint offer to acquire PayPal Holdings for $60.50 per share, valuing the digital payments company at more than $53 billion. The proposal is backed by approximately $50 billion in committed bank financing, according to Reuters, which cited people familiar with the confidential discussions. The offer represents a premium of roughly 28% to PayPal’s closing share price on July 14, 2026.
Stripe and Advent reportedly submitted the proposal earlier in July following an initial approach made in April. The prospective buyers have not received a response from PayPal and are seeking to advance discussions over the coming weeks.
Under the proposed structure, Stripe and Advent would jointly own PayPal, with each party holding an equal stake. The companies reportedly do not plan to divide PayPal’s operations following the acquisition.
There is no certainty that the offer will lead to a transaction. Advent declined to comment, while PayPal and Stripe did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
An acquisition would combine two of the largest names in digital payments. Stripe provides payment processing and financial infrastructure for online businesses, while PayPal operates a global payments platform that includes its branded checkout business, Venmo, merchant services, and cryptocurrency offerings.
PayPal emerged as one of the earliest major digital payment platforms after its founding in the late 1990s. However, the company has faced increasing competition from traditional financial institutions, fintech companies, mobile wallets, and payment services such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.
PayPal’s market capitalization reached approximately $360 billion in 2021 as digital commerce and online payments expanded during the pandemic. Its valuation has since fallen substantially as transaction growth slowed and competition increased.
The company’s market capitalization reportedly declined to approximately $36 billion at its lowest point in 2026. PayPal has also lost more than 40% of its market value during the past 12 months.
Enrique Lores became PayPal’s CEO in March 2026 and launched a broad turnaround effort intended to simplify the company, improve execution, and restore growth.
As part of that restructuring, PayPal divided its operations into three primary units in April. Those businesses focus on checkout, consumer financial services, Venmo, and payments and cryptocurrency.
The company also made several management changes to sharpen accountability across its major business lines.
A transaction valued at over $53 billion would represent a significant take-private deal and one of the largest acquisitions in the financial technology sector. The proposed financing package would also demonstrate substantial lender support for the transaction despite PayPal’s recent operating and market challenges.
For Stripe, acquiring PayPal could significantly expand its consumer payments presence. Stripe has historically focused primarily on providing payment infrastructure, billing tools, banking services, and financial software to businesses and online platforms.
PayPal would give Stripe access to a widely recognized consumer brand, a large base of merchant and consumer accounts, Venmo, and established global payment networks.
Advent has extensive experience investing in financial services, payments, software, and technology companies. Its participation could provide the capital and operational support needed to restructure PayPal outside the public markets.
The reported equal-ownership structure suggests Stripe and Advent would collaborate on PayPal’s strategy rather than separate its major businesses. However, the final structure, financing terms, and management arrangements could change if PayPal agrees to enter negotiations.
Any potential transaction would likely require approval from PayPal’s board and shareholders, along with reviews from competition and financial regulators in the United States and other jurisdictions.
