Stripe Reportedly Acquires Stablecoin Platform Bridge in $1.1B Deal

Stripe is rumored to have finalized a $1.1 billion acquisition of the stablecoin platform Bridge, with both companies yet to provide official confirmation.

Key Notes

Stripe has reportedly acquired stablecoin platform Bridge for $1.1 billion.TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington stated confidently that the "deal is done." Neither Stripe nor Bridge has officially confirmed the acquisition.

Patrick and John Collison-led payment processing giant Stripe has reportedly bought stablecoin platform Bridge in a $1.1 billion deal. This news comes from a recent X post by TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington on October 20. While Arrington confidently declared that “this deal is done,” neither Stripe nor Bridge has publicly confirmed the acquisition.

Arrington’s report suggests the deal had reached advanced stages by October 17, though official responses from both companies remain elusive. Meanwhile, the crypto community on X responded positively to the rumored acquisition. Jim Chang, co-founder and CEO of Catalyst, an open-source protocol, described it as the “biggest acquisition in crypto”.

A Strategic Leap for Stripe

This acquisition would mark a major milestone for Stripe, which was valued at $70 billion in July 2024. If confirmed, the $1.1 billion transaction would also place it among the largest acquisitions in the cryptocurrency sector’s history. Stripe has long been a leader in the payment processing industry, powering transactions for businesses globally. In March, the company crossed a staggering $1 trillion in payment volume, representing about 1% of global GDP.

The timing of this deal is noteworthy, as Stripe’s co-founder John Collison recently revealed plans to support global stablecoin payments. Earlier this month, Stripe took its first major step in this direction by integrating Circle’s USD Coin (USDC) into its payments platform. The “Pay with Crypto” feature by Stripe appears similar to PayPal’s “Checkout with Crypto,” which allows users to shop from merchants worldwide using stablecoins.

Moreover, the financial infrastructure company partnered with Bitstamp to boost its European presence, allowing Web3 developers to embed a widget for easy crypto conversion and instant transaction settlement. The partnership extends to other Web3 platforms like MetaMask, Blockchain.com, Magic Eden, and Nifty Gateway. This year, Stripe also integrated Avalanche, supporting Avalanche C-Chain.

Acquiring Bridge would solidify Stripe’s ambitions in the stablecoin ecosystem, offering a pathway to expand its crypto-based payment services.

Bridge: A Rising Star in Stablecoin Payments

Since its launch in 2022, Bridge has proved to be a promising player in the payments space. The platform was designed to rival traditional financial networks like SWIFT and credit cards by allowing businesses to create, store, send, and accept stablecoins seamlessly.

Often dubbed the “Web3 answer to Stripe”, Bridge’s innovative approach to stablecoin payments has drawn major investor attention. In 2024 alone, the company raised $58 million in funding from high-profile firms such as Sequoia, Ribbit, and Index Ventures.

For now, the crypto world is left waiting for official confirmation from Stripe and Bridge. If the acquisition is indeed finalized, it could push Stripe even deeper into the stablecoin world.

Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.

FinTech News, News