Stripe, the $1.4 trillion payments powerhouse, today announced its acquisition of Privy, a crypto wallet infrastructure startup, in a move that underscores its deepening commitment to crypto integration. The deal, confirmed by Stripe’s CEO Patrick Collison, aims to streamline digital asset adoption for businesses globally. Privy’s technology, which supports over 75 million crypto wallets, enables developers to embed seamless wallet functionality into their applications.
Simplifying Crypto Access with Privy
Privy, established in 2021 by founders Henri Stern and Asta Li, specializes in making digital assets accessible by embedding wallet infrastructure directly into platforms like OpenSea and Blackbird. According to Stern, Privy eliminates the complexity of external wallets like MetaMask, allowing users to create wallets with just an email address. Stern took to his X handle to express his excitement.
I’m very excited to share this – a lot of how we build is modeled after @stripe‘s craft and attention to detail.
On our end, we’re excited to push even harder for our partners across the many verticals crypto impacts today!
It’s going to be a very exciting few years! https://t.co/ZrNo5inGt6
— Henri Stern Ꙫ (@henri_stern) June 11, 2025
Under Stripe’s ownership, Privy will remain an independent unit but leverage Stripe’s global reach to accelerate growth. The acquisition enhances Stripe’s ability to support developers building crypto-enabled apps for payments, trading, and more, aligning with Collison’s vision of “unified internet finance.”
Following the Fintech Trend
Stripe’s acquisition of Privy follows its $1.1 billion purchase of Bridge, a stablecoin platform, in October 2024. Bridge enables businesses to use stablecoins like USDC for global payments, a feature that Stripe has integrated into its financial accounts.
Similarly, PayPal acquired Xoom in 2015 for $890 million to expand cross-border payments, later adding crypto trading in 2020. Square (now Block) bought Afterpay for $29 billion in 2021, boosting its crypto-friendly payment ecosystem. These purchases reflect a trend where fintech giants acquire crypto-focused startups to blend digital assets with traditional finance, mirroring Stripe’s strategy with Privy and Bridge.
The latest acquisition signals an important moment for crypto’s integration into everyday finance. By combining Privy’s user-friendly wallet technology with its stablecoin capabilities, Stripe seems positioned to make digital currencies as accessible as traditional payments. As the company continues to shape the future of global payments, its latest acquisition reaffirms its role as a leader in blending fiat and crypto economies, setting the stage for a new era of financial innovation.
