Stripe to acquire AI model gateway OpenRouter

Fintech company Stripe has agreed to acquire OpenRouter, an artificial intelligence model gateway that provides developers access to hundreds of AI models from over 80 different providers. While the exact purchase price has not been officially disclosed, reports vary, with some estimates placing the deal at approximately $7.5 billion and others suggesting it could exceed $8 billion, primarily in stock.

OpenRouter serves more than 10 million developers and companies, processing over 10 trillion tokens per day. The platform functions as a routing layer, allowing users to select models based on price, speed, or complexity, or to use automated tools that select the most appropriate model for a specific prompt.

The acquisition represents a strategic move by Stripe to expand its role in the AI economy. By integrating OpenRouter, Stripe aims to collect fees on the flow of AI tokens similarly to how it processes online payments. This move aligns with Stripe's perspective on an economic turning point where AI adoption necessitates new infrastructure for businesses.