Stripe and Advent table $53B joint bid for PayPal

Stripe and Advent International have submitted a joint proposal to acquire PayPal Holdings in a landmark fintech deal that would value the digital payments company at more than $53 billion. The offer is set at $60.50 per share in cash, representing roughly a 28% premium to PayPal’s recent closing price, according to multiple reports based on sources familiar with the talks. The bid was lodged in early July and is supported by around $50 billion in committed financing from banks, indicating a highly leveraged buyout structure targeting full control of PayPal.

Under the proposal, Stripe and Advent would jointly acquire PayPal and each hold an equal 50% stake, with no plan to break up or spin off the company’s businesses. The structure positions PayPal to remain a unified entity, combining Stripe’s merchant-focused technology stack and Advent’s private equity ownership model with PayPal’s global consumer wallet and checkout network. The approach follows an initial contact made in early April and has not yet received a formal public response from PayPal’s board. Reports emphasize that the offer is non-binding at this stage, discussions remain confidential, and there is no certainty that negotiations will lead to a signed transaction or regulatory approval.

If completed, the deal would rank among the largest leveraged buyouts in the history of financial technology and mark a significant consolidation in global payments. For PayPal, the implied equity value north of $53 billion reflects a substantial premium against a backdrop of intensifying competition and moderating growth, potentially reshaping its strategic direction under shared control by a strategic payments player and a major private equity sponsor. The heavy use of committed bank financing underscores lenders’ willingness to back large-scale transactions in the payments sector, while the equal-stakes structure suggests Stripe and Advent intend to exercise joint governance over PayPal rather than pursue an immediate breakup or asset sales. However, with PayPal yet to respond and deal terms described only at a headline level, key elements such as any conditions precedent, regulatory strategy, and post-close integration plans remain undisclosed.