Stripe has confirmed the acquisition of OpenRouter: Media outlets estimate the deal at $7.5 billion
The payment company Stripe has confirmed the acquisition of the startup OpenRouter, which helps developers work with various artificial intelligence models. Stripe did not disclose the value of the deal, but sources told The New York Times that it could have been $7.5 billion, according to TechCrunch.
In May, OpenRouter was valued at $1.3 billion. According to The New York Times, the startup’s founders are set to receive $1.5 billion from the sale, while investors will receive the remaining $6 billion. TechCrunch also reports that Stripe had to compete with other interested buyers, including Databricks, for the fast-growing company.
In a letter from Stripe founders Patrick and John Collison to investors—published by Eric Newcomer and verified by TechCrunch—the acquisition was jokingly linked to the “singularity.” At the same time, the founders had previously spoken about the economic growth that AI development brings to Stripe: with the emergence of new AI companies, more businesses are using the payment company’s services.
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Stripe states that 88% of the companies on the Forbes AI 50 list use its products, including OpenAI and Anthropic. According to the company, its products are also used by all startups that Brex identifies as the fastest-growing. In a letter, Collison pointed out the overlap between Stripe’s and OpenRouter’s audiences and called OpenRouter a useful service for developers.
In a blog post, OpenRouter stated that its product, mission, and existing commitments will remain unchanged. TechCrunch speculates that after the deal closes—which could happen within a few weeks—the startup will continue to operate independently.
PitchBook analyst Franco Grande called the acquisition an attempt by Stripe to take a central role in the capital flows of the AI era, particularly in the area of token expense management. In his view, OpenRouter could give Stripe some influence over providers of cutting-edge AI models, hyperscalers, and neocloud companies.
