Stripe seals $7bn deal to buy AI startup OpenRouter

Stripe has reportedly agreed to acquire AI model marketplace OpenRouter for more than $7 billion, a steep premium to the startup’s roughly $1.3 billion valuation just three months earlier. The deal would expand Stripe beyond payments into AI infrastructure, positioning it as a key gateway for businesses choosing among competing AI models. OpenRouter says it serves 8 million users and offers access to over 400 models, making it a strategic intermediary in the AI ecosystem. The report highlights continued investor appetite for AI infrastructure assets and the rapid rerating of companies that reduce vendor lock-in. The transaction has not been publicly confirmed, and regulatory or closing details remain undisclosed.