Payments infrastructure giant Stripe has completed a secondary stock sale at a valuation of $159 billion, marking a significant milestone for the fintech company. The tender offer, announced Tuesday, provides liquidity to current and former employees and represents a substantial increase in the company’s worth. According to a written statement from Stripe, the majority of funds are being provided by investors including Thrive Capital, Coatue, and Andreessen Horowitz.
The new valuation reflects an impressive 49% jump from the $106.7 billion Stripe was valued at in September during a separate tender offer. That previous deal marked the first time Stripe had surpassed its March 2021 peak valuation of $95 billion. The company declined to provide additional details beyond its official statement, though it confirmed it will use a portion of its own capital to repurchase shares without specifying the exact amount.
Stripe Valuation Growth Reflects Strong Business Performance
The dramatic increase in Stripe’s worth comes as the company reports robust business metrics across its platform. According to the company, businesses running on Stripe generated $1.9 trillion in total volume, representing a 34% increase from 2024. This growth underscores the expanding role of digital payments infrastructure in the global economy.
Additionally, Stripe’s diversification beyond core payment processing appears to be paying dividends. The company says its revenue products, including billing, invoicing and tax services, are on track to collectively reach an annual run rate of $1 billion in 2026. This expansion into adjacent financial services demonstrates Stripe’s strategy to become a comprehensive financial operating system for businesses.
Major Brands Drive Platform Growth
Stripe’s impressive valuation is supported by its roster of high-profile customers spanning multiple industries. The company counts ElevenLabs, Figma, Lovable, Shopify, Google and Amazon among its clients. This diverse customer base provides Stripe with revenue stability and positions it as critical infrastructure for both emerging startups and established tech giants.
However, the secondary sale structure reflects a broader trend among late-stage startups choosing to remain private longer. Tender offers have become increasingly common as companies seek to provide employee liquidity without pursuing initial public offerings. Meanwhile, generative AI company Anthropic is reportedly working on its own tender offer at a valuation of at least $350 billion, according to industry reports.
Fintech Funding Landscape Shows Recovery
The Stripe secondary sale comes amid a resurgence in fintech investment activity globally. Total funding to venture capital-backed financial technology startups reached $51.8 billion in 2025, according to Crunchbase data. This represents a significant 27% increase from the $40.8 billion raised in 2024, signaling renewed investor confidence in the financial services sector.
In contrast to the public markets, where fintech valuations have faced pressure, private market investors appear willing to back proven companies at premium valuations. Stripe’s ability to command a $159 billion valuation in the private markets demonstrates the premium placed on profitable growth and market leadership in payments infrastructure.
The company has not indicated whether the latest tender offer signals any movement toward an eventual initial public offering, and the timing of any such decision remains uncertain. With strong business fundamentals and access to private capital, Stripe appears positioned to remain independent for the foreseeable future.