Stripe in talks to acquire AI platform OpenRouter

Stripe, the U.S. payments company valued at about $159 billion, is in advanced negotiations to purchase OpenRouter, a platform that aggregates hundreds of open‑source and proprietary AI models and lets developers compare and switch between them. Sources cited by the Wall Street Journal estimate the deal could be worth around $10 billion, while some reports note a possible valuation of OpenRouter approaching $100 billion. The acquisition would give Stripe a “middle‑layer” that connects its payment infrastructure with AI services, potentially expanding its product suite into risk analysis, automation and personalized customer experiences.

Regulatory observers in the United States and Europe are watching the deal for possible competition and data‑governance implications. If completed, the transaction would mark one of the most high‑profile convergence moves between fintech and artificial‑intelligence providers.