A $53 billion rejection didn’t end the conversation. It started a bigger one. PayPal has reopened talks with Stripe and Advent International over a potential buyout after rejecting a $53 billion initial offer from the consortium in July. Negotiations never stopped, and a deal could come together in the coming weeks, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The parties are now discussing a potentially higher price per share, with PayPal’s board reportedly pushing for a valuation closer to $70 per share versus the original $60.50. However, there are no guarantees that any deal could be agreed on.
What’s on the table
Stripe and Advent originally planned to buy PayPal for $60.50 per share, valuing the payments company at more than $53 billion. The deal came with about $50 billion in committed bank financing, with the two bidders reportedly planning to split ownership equally and keep the company intact.
PayPal’s board formally rejected the offer at a specially convened meeting, signaling that the offer significantly undervalues the company. The board has engaged Goldman Sachs and Evercore to evaluate strategic options including a potential sale or remaining independent.
On PayPal’s July 28 earnings call, CEO Enrique Lores said the board would “evaluate any offer that would create more shareholder value than executing the company’s growth plan.” That’s not a no.
Why small businesses should pay attention
A combined Stripe and PayPal would process an estimated $3.7 trillion in annual payment volume, according to Reuters, making it one of the largest online payments platforms in the world. If the acquisition closes, one company would control two of the most common payment options merchants offer, raising questions about pricing and competition over time.
Combining PayPal and Stripe would face significant antitrust scrutiny in the United States and likely in Europe. Any merchant using either platform for checkout, invoicing, subscriptions, or marketplace payouts could eventually see changes in fees, APIs, or product features if the deal goes through.
The practical move right now is simple. Review your payment contracts, note which parts of your business depend on PayPal or Stripe, and keep at least one alternative processor evaluated. Single-vendor lock-in gets riskier when your vendor might be mid-merger.
Small businesses processing payments through PayPal’s ecosystem should watch for a resolution later this year rather than assume the deal is dead. A revised offer, or a collapse in talks, could come within weeks. Either outcome will shape what checkout costs and how it works for millions of merchants heading into 2027.
