Stripe is deepening its roots in the artificial intelligence economy. The payments giant is processing transactions for top-tier AI labs and developers, according to a report by The Information, taking a small percentage from the surging sales of firms like OpenAI and Anthropic as it handles subscription and usage-based charges.
Surging Valuations and Revenue Growth
This financial expansion runs parallel to a massive jump in Stripe’s private market valuation. A Bloomberg report from February showed the company hit a $159 billion valuation during a tender offer designed to provide liquidity for current and former employees. That figure represents a steep climb from the $106.7 billion valuation recorded in September and the $95 billion valuation seen in 2021. Stripe’s total revenue also grew by a third last year to reach $6.8 billion, fueled largely by surging demand for digital infrastructure.
Expanding Billing and AI Infrastructure
The company’s ambitions stretch far beyond baseline payment processing into billing, invoicing, and tax services. To reinforce this infrastructure, Stripe acquired usage-based billing startup Metronome in January, weaving its metering tools directly into the broader billing platform following an agreement reached in December.
Product rollouts mirror these acquisitions. Stripe launched an AI Gateway service giving developers access to multiple AI models alongside usage metrics tracking. Such tools position the firm to capture transaction volume from emerging markets—specifically machine-to-machine payments and micropayments run by autonomous AI agents. Other recent moves involve acquiring stablecoin infrastructure firm Bridge and joining the Open USD stablecoin consortium.
The $53 Billion Pursuit of PayPal
Stripe’s strategic aggression extends to massive fintech consolidation. On July 15, reports revealed that Stripe and investment firm Advent International filed a joint buyout offer valuing PayPal at over $53 billion.
The deal was designed to merge Stripe’s merchant-facing software with PayPal’s consumer-facing payment credentials. But the momentum stalled quickly. On July 17, PayPal’s board of directors reviewed the bid in a preliminary assessment and rejected it, concluding that the offer undervalued the company and failed to capture the true worth of its ongoing turnaround strategy.
Key Questions Surrounding Stripe’s Growth
How does Stripe make money from AI companies?
Stripe processes subscription and usage-based payments for AI developers and labs like OpenAI and Anthropic, taking a small cut of their sales transactions.
What was Stripe’s valuation in the most recent tender offer?
Stripe reached a valuation of $159 billion in a February tender offer, up from $106.7 billion in September.
What was the outcome of the Stripe and Advent International bid for PayPal?
PayPal’s board of directors assessed the joint offer exceeding $53 billion and determined in July that it undervalued the company and its turnaround potential.
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