What Happened
Fintech startup Stripe has announced a valuation of $159 billion following a secondary stock sale for employees and shareholders. This marks a significant increase of over 70% from its previous valuation of $91.5 billion reported a year ago.
Why It Matters
The surge in valuation highlights Stripe’s robust growth and its emerging role as a key financial infrastructure provider in the evolving ‘token economy.’ Philippe Laffont, founder of Coatue Management, noted that Stripe is becoming the default financial layer for leading startups and enterprises in the AI era. The company also reported a total payment volume of $1.9 trillion for 2025, reflecting a 34% increase from the previous year, and is on track for an annual revenue run rate of $1 billion by 2026.
What’s Next
Stripe plans to utilize a combination of investor funding and its own cash for share buybacks as part of the tender offer. Major investors participating in this round include Thrive Capital, Coatue, and Andreessen Horowitz. The company aims to continue investing in product development and acquisitions to maintain its competitive edge.
