Stripe and Advent International propose $53 billion acquisition of PayPal

Shares of PayPal jumped 19% to US$56.60 after Stripe and private‑equity firm Advent International announced a joint offer to buy the company for more than US$53 billion. The proposal values PayPal at US$60.50 per share, a 28% premium to the prior close, and is backed by US$50 billion of committed financing. The bidders said they would become co‑owners of PayPal and have no plans to split the business. PayPal has not yet responded, and the parties must reach an agreement by the end of the month.

Investor Michael Burry called the offer “simply too low” and “just an initial offer,” suggesting a fair price between US$75 and US$115 per share. Competitors in the payments sector, such as Visa, Mastercard and American Express, saw little movement in their stock prices.

A contemporaneous commentary noted that PayPal’s market value has fallen from about US$360 billion in 2021 to roughly US$50 billion today, despite processing nearly US$2 trillion in transactions annually. The piece highlighted broader fintech trends but centered on the same acquisition proposal.