Stripe agrees to acquire AI gateway startup OpenRouter for more than $7 billion...

Stripe agrees to acquire AI gateway startup OpenRouter for more than $7 billion, marking one of the largest AI infrastructure deals so far. OpenRouter lets developers access and switch between hundreds of AI models through one interface, handling routing, failovers, cost optimisation, and usage analytics. The deal gives Stripe a strategic position in the AI transaction layer by linking payments, billing, and model usage. OpenRouter’s valuation jumps rapidly from $1.3 billion in May 2026, delivering major gains for backers including Sequoia, a16z, Menlo Ventures, and CapitalG.

Sunday, 16 August, 2026