PayPal at a crossroads as bidders circle a take-private bid

PayPal is reportedly facing a take-private bid around $53 billion from Stripe and Advent International, with the board seeking more than $60.50 a share and weighing whether the company should remain intact or be broken up for asset sales. The move comes as PayPal lags rivals like Apple Pay and struggles to accelerate growth, prompting questions about value as a single entity versus its components (e.g., Venmo). Stripe and Advent have reportedly lined up about $17 billion in equity and $50 billion in financing, though competing bids seem unlikely.