IRISH-FOUNDED PAYMENTS giant Stripe is considering an acquisition of all or part of US rival PayPal, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg said Stripe, founded by Irish brothers John and Patrick Collison, has expressed preliminary interest in a potential deal involving the digital payments pioneer or some of its assets.

The discussions are described as early stage, with no certainty that they will lead to a transaction.

Representatives for both companies declined to comment to Bloomberg.

News of the reported interest sent PayPal shares up nearly 7% in New York trading, giving the company a market valuation of about $43 billion (€36 billion).

Founded in 2010 by Limerick brothers Patrick Collison and John Collison, Stripe was valued this week at $159 billion (€135 billion) in an employee tender offer. The company processed $1.9 trillion (€1.6 trillion) in payments in 2025, a 34% increase on the previous year.

PayPal, founded in the late 1990s, was an early leader in digital payments but has struggled in recent years amid rising competition from Apple Pay and Google Pay.

The company recently replaced its chief executive after issuing a weaker-than-expected outlook.

A deal would reshape the global payments landscape, creating a combined group valued at more than $200 billion (€170 billion) and giving Stripe access to PayPal’s roughly 400 million active consumer accounts.

Stripe has traditionally focused on back-end payments infrastructure for businesses, while PayPal operates a globally recognised consumer wallet.

In Ireland, the implications could also be significant. PayPal employs between 1,500 and 1,600 people in the State, most of whom operate out of the firm’s main site in Blanchardstown, Dublin.

That’s more than double Stripe’s approximately 650 Dublin-based staff.

The Bloomberg report comes with a note of caution, as Stripe has previously been linked to major strategic moves that have not ultimately materialised.