PayPal shares rose 6.7% on February 24, 2026, following reports of takeover interest. Bloomberg reported that PayPal has attracted unsolicited acquisition interest from potential buyers and has engaged with banks regarding a possible sale. Stripe, a privately held payments company valued at $159 billion, is considering acquiring PayPal or parts of the company, according to Bloomberg. PayPal's market valuation exceeds $40 billion. At least one large competitor is considering buying the entire company while others are evaluating specific business segments. Discussions remain in early stages with no guarantee of a deal. The stock has declined approximately 44% over the past year and 22% in the previous month following disappointing fourth-quarter earnings and weak 2026 guidance. PayPal recently replaced CEO Alex Chriss with board chair Enrique Lores to lead the company's turnaround efforts.
Read full analysisPayPal shares rose 6.7% on February 24, 2026, following reports of takeover interest. Bloomberg reported that PayPal has attracted unsolicited acquisition interest from potential buyers and has engaged with banks regarding a possible sale. Stripe, a privately held payments company valued at $159 billion, is considering acquiring PayPal or parts of the company, according to Bloomberg. PayPal's market valuation exceeds $40 billion. At least one large competitor is considering buying the entire company while others are evaluating specific business segments. Discussions remain in early stages with no guarantee of a deal. The stock has declined approximately 44% over the past year and 22% in the previous month following disappointing fourth-quarter earnings and weak 2026 guidance. PayPal recently replaced CEO Alex Chriss with board chair Enrique Lores to lead the company's turnaround efforts.
PayPal is one of the world's largest digital payments platforms, processing nearly $2 trillion in annual transaction volume through its PayPal, Venmo, and Braintree brands. The stock has lost roughly 40% over the past year following a Q4 2025 earnings miss, CEO departure, and competitive erosion from Apple Pay and Google Pay. That prolonged decline has now attracted acquisition interest from Stripe, the $159 billion privately held payments rival, according to Bloomberg — adding a potential M&A catalyst as incoming CEO Enrique Lores prepares to take the helm on March 1.