Discover top fintech news and events!
Subscribe to FinTech Weekly's newsletter
Read by executives at JP Morgan, Coinbase, Blackrock, Klarna and more
Payments giant provides liquidity to employees and investors while continuing AI-driven growth
(February 27, 2025) – Stripe, the online payments company, has reached a valuation of $91.5 billion through a new tender offer for employees and investors. The move allows stakeholders to sell shares while the company remains privately held, reinforcing its stance on avoiding an initial public offering in the near future.
Liquidity Without an IPO
The tender offer, a structured opportunity for shareholders to cash out, comes as Stripe’s valuation climbs back toward its 2021 peak of $95 billion. The company emphasized its commitment to providing liquidity for employees and early investors, a key priority as it stays private.
This decision follows a period of fluctuating valuations. In 2021, the fintech company reached $95 billion during a funding round fueled by a pandemic-driven boom in online payments. Two years later, amid changing market conditions, its valuation dropped to $50 billion in a separate funding round. Now, the company has rebounded, largely driven by continued adoption of AI-powered payment solutions.
Profitable and Growing
The fintech reported strong financial performance in 2024. Total payment volume grew 38% year-over-year, reaching $1.4 trillion. The company also confirmed it was profitable and expects to maintain profitability in the future.
Stripe’s rise has been closely tied to artificial intelligence. High-profile AI firms, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Perplexity, and Mistral, rely on Stripe’s infrastructure for transactions. The company credits its long-term AI investments for driving revenue growth and expanding its market share.
Beyond AI, Stripe is also advancing its role in the stablecoin market. The acquisition of Bridge, a stablecoin orchestration platform, signals a deeper involvement in digital payments and emerging financial technologies.
No Rush to Go Public
Despite its rising valuation and financial stability, Stripe has made it clear that an initial public offering (IPO) is not a priority. The company’s leadership has expressed concerns about the short-term financial pressures that come with being publicly traded.
Instead, Stripe continues to operate as one of the largest privately held tech companies in the U.S., alongside firms like OpenAI, SpaceX, and Databricks.
The decision to remain private allows Stripe to focus on long-term strategy rather than quarterly earnings expectations. This approach aligns with its history of steady growth in the competitive fintech sector.
What’s Next for Stripe?
While Stripe has no immediate IPO plans, its increasing valuation and financial strength make it a company to watch. The ongoing expansion into AI-powered payments and stablecoin solutions suggests a focus on innovation, even as it avoids the pressures of the public market.
For now, Stripe’s leadership remains focused on providing liquidity options to employees and investors while continuing to scale its business. With $1.4 trillion in transactions processed last year, the company is positioned as a dominant force in digital payments, whether or not it ever goes public.
