Stripe is in talks to buy OpenRouter, an artificial intelligence (AI) startup that could sell for roughly $10 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal. The move would mark a significant step outside payments for a company that processes transactions for much of the internet. It also lands while Stripe pursues a far larger target: a bid for PayPal that would value the payments giant at about $53 billion.
The Journal reported Thursday (July 23) that a transaction could be announced soon, though the talks could still collapse or another buyer could step in. The exact price under discussion could not be learned. Several other large technology companies had also been weighing deals for OpenRouter. The startup was valued at $1.3 billion in May, according to PitchBook, meaning a sale near $10 billion would represent a steep markup in a matter of months. Its backers include Menlo Ventures and CapitalG, the growth fund of Google parent Alphabet.
OpenRouter sells software that lets customers reach AI models from OpenAI and Anthropic, along with open weight alternatives anyone can download and run. The Journal described the company’s position this way: “OpenRouter is part of an emerging crop of startups that have found a lucrative niche between AI developers and the companies that want to use them.” The platform lists hundreds of large language models and lets developers compare and switch between them.
The strategic logic follows Stripe’s recent expansion into AI infrastructure and stablecoin payments. Many companies now want access to a range of AI models to control spending and reduce dependence on any single provider. Stripe and OpenRouter already work together, with OpenRouter using Stripe to collect payments from its customers. Stripe’s valuation reached $159 billion earlier this year.
On the PayPal front, people familiar with the matter told the Journal that the $53 billion offer was seen as too low, and Stripe and its partner Advent International are considering their next move.
PYMNTS has followed Stripe’s expansion beyond payment processing closely this year. PYMNTS reported that Stripe and Advent International submitted a joint offer of $60.50 a share for PayPal, backed by roughly $50 billion in committed bank financing, with the two bidders set to hold equal stakes. PYMNTS later reported that PayPal’s board considered the bid inadequate, and that directors were weighing financing capability, regulatory review and how long approval might take. The two companies together process about $3.7 trillion a year.
Key insights: Seventeen banks, including BNY, Citi, HSBC, Standard Chartered and Wells Fargo, are preparing to test live, tokenized cross-border payments on the company’s blockchain-based orchestration platform. What’s at stake: The transition to a pilot stage is an important step for Swift as the rise of digital assets threaten its position as a key coordinator…
Taxpayers must have access to the income tax department’s e-filing portal to submit their income tax return (ITR), checking refund status, downloading tax documents and responding to notices, if any. However, if you forget your login password, that may become a major hurdle, especially if you no longer have access to your Aadhar-linked mobile number…
A Los Angeles-based matcha cafe chain has signed a retail deal for its first New York City location in Manhattan’s East Village. Archives of Us has leased 2,400 square feet at Highpoint Property Group’s 84 Second Avenue, where it will act as a cafe and retail presence for the matcha brand, according to landlord broker…
Mbappe Responds to Racist Attack by Paraguayan Senator After World Cup Win Controversy Erupts Following France’s World Cup Victory By Rohith Nair Incident Overview MIAMI, July 6 (Reuters) – France striker Kylian Mbappe hit back at a Paraguayan senator, describing her as a “despicable woman” on Monday after she launched a racist attack on him…
Authorized Representative Absent from India Resident Authorized Person with PAN If Authorization is for a period, Full Access except ‘Profile Settings’, Authorize another person to act on behalf of self or Register to act on behalf of another person or Register as Representative Assessee and e-Proceedings functionalities for the period of authorization. However, view of ‘Profile’…
This article was written by Follow Trapping Value is a team of analysts with over 40 years of combined experience generating options income while also focusing on capital preservation. They run the investing group Conservative Income Portfolio in partnership with Preferred Stock Trader. The investing group features two income-generating portfolios and a bond ladder. Trapping…