Stripe Acquires Stablecoin Platform Bridge in $1.1 Billion Deal

San Francisco, CA – Stripe, the global financial infrastructure company, has announced its acquisition of Bridge Network, a stablecoin platform, in a deal valued at $1.1 billion. The acquisition, confirmed by Stripe CEO Patrick Collison and Bridge CEO Zach Abrams via social media, marks Stripe's largest acquisition to date and a significant move into the stablecoin sector. This strategic investment underscores Stripe's commitment to integrating stablecoins into traditional finance and expanding its global payment capabilities.

The deal, initially reported by TechCrunch co-founder Michael Arrington, sees Stripe taking a major step to support stablecoin payments, a commitment first announced by co-founder John Collison earlier this year. Bridge Network, founded in 2022 by former Coinbase executives Zach Abrams and Sean Yu, developed infrastructure to enable businesses to create, store, send, and accept stablecoins. The platform had previously secured $58 million in funding from prominent investors including Sequoia, Ribbit, and Index.

Patrick Collison highlighted the strategic importance of the acquisition, stating on X, "Stripe is going to build the world's best stablecoin infrastructure, and, to that end, we are delighted to welcome @stablecoin to @stripe." Zach Abrams echoed this sentiment, tweeting, "We're thrilled to be joining forces with Stripe." This move is expected to enhance Stripe's ability to facilitate borderless financial services, reducing costs and simplifying cross-border transactions for businesses.

Stripe has been increasingly focused on emerging technologies, with its co-founders noting in their annual letter that AI and stablecoins are "gale force tailwinds" reshaping the economic landscape. The company reported a 38% increase in total payment volume in 2024, reaching $1.4 trillion, partly driven by the AI boom and its investments in machine learning. The integration of Bridge's technology is anticipated to further accelerate Stripe's growth and its ability to serve a wider range of businesses globally.

The acquisition aligns with Stripe's broader strategy to position itself at the forefront of financial innovation, providing businesses with modern, programmable financial services. With stablecoins enabling faster and cheaper money movement, and being globally available from day one, Stripe aims to unlock new opportunities for its millions of users. This significant investment signals a strong belief in the real-world utility of stablecoins for businesses and their potential to transform the global economy.