Stripe Acquires Privy to Boost Crypto Integration

Payments giant Stripe is set to acquire crypto infrastructure firm Privy, marking a significant move in the company's ongoing integration with the crypto industry. The acquisition, announced on Wednesday, is expected to close in the coming weeks, with Privy continuing to operate as an independent product under the Stripe umbrella. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Privy is renowned for its embedded wallet technology, which simplifies the onboarding process for crypto users by allowing them to create wallets without the need to memorize or record seed phrases. This technology is already widely adopted, supporting over 75 million accounts and 1,000 developer teams, including major applications like Pump.fun, Hyperliquid, and OpenSea. By integrating Privy's technology, Stripe aims to accelerate the pace of innovation and provide more seamless financial services.

Stripe CEO Patrick Collison highlighted the strategic importance of the acquisition, stating that "Money has to reside somewhere, and Privy builds the world's best programmable vaults." He further emphasized that alongside Stripe's other stablecoin work, the acquisition will enable a new generation of global, internet-native financial services. This move aligns with Stripe's broader vision of bringing crypto and fiat systems closer together, making the distinction between them almost meaningless.

The acquisition of Privy is the second major crypto acquisition for Stripe in the last year, following the purchase of stablecoin payment platform Bridge for $1.1 billion in October. Stripe's history with crypto dates back to 2014 when it became one of the first payment companies to accept Bitcoin. Although it temporarily shut down its crypto services in 2018, Stripe has since refocused its efforts on the crypto space, integrating Avalanche’s layer-1 blockchain earlier this year and announcing plans for stablecoin financial accounts in May.

Privy's technology allows users to hold assets or take actions directly within supported crypto apps, eliminating the need for third-party wallets like MetaMask. This embedded wallet technology not only enhances user experience but also streamlines the process of interacting with crypto applications. By joining forces with Stripe, Privy aims to accelerate its work in shaping the future of digital ownership and financial systems, providing powerful new capabilities to both Stripe and Privy customers.

This acquisition underscores Stripe's commitment to integrating crypto into its payment infrastructure, positioning the company at the forefront of the evolving financial landscape. As the lines between traditional finance and crypto continue to blur, Stripe's strategic moves are poised to redefine how value moves through the internet, offering a more seamless and integrated financial experience for users worldwide.