PayPal Shares Surge After Report of $53 Billion Takeover Bid From Stripe and Advent

PayPal shares jumped 16% in premarket trading after Reuters reported that payments company Stripe and private equity firm Advent International had submitted a joint takeover offer valuing PayPal at more than $53 billion. According to the report, the proposed transaction values PayPal at $60.50 per share, representing a 28% premium to its closing price on Tuesday.

The offer, which was reportedly submitted earlier this month, includes approximately $50 billion in committed bank financing. If completed, Stripe and Advent would jointly own PayPal with equal ownership stakes. Sources familiar with the matter indicated that the two firms are seeking to advance discussions over the coming weeks, although PayPal has not yet responded to the proposal.

Neither PayPal nor Stripe immediately commented on the reported bid, while Advent International declined to comment. Earlier this year, reports suggested that Stripe had already been exploring a potential acquisition of PayPal, signaling its growing interest in expanding its position within the global digital payments industry.

The reported takeover comes at a challenging time for PayPal. The company has struggled to differentiate itself in an increasingly competitive payments market and recently issued weaker-than-expected profit guidance for 2026, forecasting that adjusted earnings would decline by a low single-digit percentage for the full year.

PayPal has also undergone leadership changes as part of its efforts to revive growth. The company recently replaced former CEO Alex Chriss, appointing HP executive Enrique Lores as its new president and chief executive to lead the next phase of its turnaround strategy.

Despite continued investment in new products and growth initiatives, investor confidence has remained cautious. Citi analysts recently noted that while PayPal is spending aggressively to accelerate its recovery, many investors remain skeptical after previous turnaround efforts failed to reverse the company's slowing growth trajectory. The reported acquisition offer may now provide shareholders with a potential alternative path as the company navigates an increasingly competitive fintech landscape.