According to TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington, Stripe has finalized negotiations to acquire the stablecoin platform Bridge for $1.1 billion, after initially being discussed for $1 billion.
Bridge first announced its investment from 1confirmation in 2022 and, in August 2024, raised $58 million at a $200 million valuation from Haun Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Ribbit Capital, and Index Ventures.
This acquisition marks the largest known deal in the crypto industry to date, surpassing Galaxy Digitals attempted $1.2 billion acquisition of BitGo, which ultimately fell through.
This acquisition marks the largest completed deal in the crypto industry to date. Previously, the largest known acquisition attempt was Galaxy Digitals $1.2 billion bid for BitGo, but that deal was never finalized.
Unveiling Bridge
It‘s hard to imagine how Bridge, a stablecoin platform, could fetch such a high acquisition price based solely on social media buzz. However, upon closer inspection, Bridge’s potential becomes evident.
Co-founded by Zach Abrams and Sean Yu, Bridge helps businesses accept stablecoin payments through a suite of tools like APIs, enabling seamless conversion between fiat and stablecoins, cross-border payments, and even allowing companies to issue their own stablecoins.
Compared to traditional systems like SWIFT, Bridge offers faster, cheaper, and more transparent transactions. Since its launch, Bridge has processed over $5 billion annually.
Broad Recognition
“If only one stablecoin existed on a single blockchain, there would be no need for Bridge. Its value lies in enabling seamless conversion between fiat and stablecoins, and facilitating movement across different blockchains,” said Chris Ahn, partner at Haun Ventures, in an interview with Fortune.
Matt Huang, co-founder of Paradigm, commented on X, saying, “Stablecoins are the next killer app in crypto. Its obvious to everyone in the space, though less so to outsiders. Congratulations to Stripe and Bridge.”
Shaun Maguire and Josephine Chen from Sequoia Capital, in their article Partnering with Bridge: A Better Way to Move Money, highlighted the impressive active user base and transaction volume in the stablecoin market. They recognized Bridge‘s significant advantages over traditional payment systems, including the enthusiasm and insight of the team. Additionally, they emphasized the project’s maturity in regulatory compliance, further solidifying its position as a leading player in the payment solutions space.