PayPal stock jumps nearly 7% as Stripe weighs full or partial takeover at $159B valuation

PayPal shares climbed almost 7% on Tuesday after reports said Stripe is evaluating a full or partial acquisition of the payments group. The move followed a steep slide that has left PayPal down more than 19% this year and nearly one third lower for 2025, even as Stripe’s valuation hit $159 billion in a secondary sale. Analysts argue PayPal’s global network and nearly $2 trillion in annual transaction volume could make it a valuable strategic asset despite broader market worries over AI’s impact on payment fees.