PayPal has attracted unsolicited takeover interest after a 46% share price slump over the past year, with potential bidders exploring either a full acquisition or selective asset purchases, according to a Bloomberg report.
Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg said PayPal has been meeting with banks to review buyout approaches from unnamed investors, including one industry rival considering an offer for the entire company.
There is no guarantee a transaction will materialise and discussions remain at an early stage, the report said, as shares rose more than 6% on Monday following the news.
The rebound only partially offsets a bruising 12 months for investors, during which PayPal’s stock declined roughly 46% amid strategic uncertainty and weaker-than-expected financial performance.
Earlier this month, former chief executive Alex Chriss was removed following disappointing fourth-quarter 2025 results, with Enrique Lores appointed to lead the company through its next phase.
Despite broader challenges, PayPal’s expansion into digital assets has gained traction, with its dollar-pegged stablecoin PayPal USD surpassing $4 billion in market capitalisation to become the sixth-largest globally behind Tether, USD Coin, Ethena USDe, Dai and World Liberty Financial USD.
The company has also rolled out crypto payment links and a “Pay with Crypto” settlement service to bridge traditional payments with blockchain rails, though neither initiative featured prominently in its most recent earnings announcement or analyst call.