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Stripe, Advent Pursue PayPal Acquisition at $53B Valuation

8/17/2026

28 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Stripe and Advent International are negotiating to acquire PayPal.
The $60.50-per-share proposal values PayPal at $53 billion, a deal the board rejected in July.
Reuters says PayPal’s shares are at historic lows, valuing the company at roughly $40 billion—about $320 billion below its COVID-19 peak—and that the buyers would split ownership while keeping the firm intact.

History

Historical Context

eBay bought PayPal for $1.5 billion in October 2002, making the service the dominant payment method on its auction platform. After the 2015 spin-off that returned PayPal to the Nasdaq, the firm grew through acquisitions such as Xoom and iZettle. In July 2026 Stripe and Advent International lodged a $53 billion joint bid, prompting regulators to revisit fintech merger oversight.

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Story summary

Stripe and Advent International are negotiating to acquire PayPal.
The $60.50-per-share proposal values PayPal at $53 billion, a deal the board rejected in July.
Reuters says PayPal’s shares are at historic lows, valuing the company at roughly $40 billion—about $320 billion below its COVID-19 peak—and that the buyers would split ownership while keeping the firm intact.

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