Stripe Acqui-Hires Crypto Payments Startup Valora, Venturing Further into Stablecoins
Valora, a Celo-based mobile crypto payments app, is joining Stripe to advance blockchain and stablecoin integration. Stripe confirmed the move to CoinDesk, noting that the Valora team will bring expertise in crypto wallet infrastructure and on-chain developer tools. Valora initially spun out from cLabs in 2021 after raising $20 million, and its intellectual property is being returned to cLabs as part of this transition.
This acquisition aligns with Stripe's broader strategy to integrate blockchain technology and stablecoins into mainstream payments, further expanding its financial infrastructure footprint. Stripe has been actively expanding its crypto rails, having previously acquired Bridge, a stablecoin infrastructure company, and Privy, a wallet app. Additionally, Stripe is developing Tempo, a stablecoin-payments-focused blockchain in partnership with Paradigm, which is currently in a test phase.
Valora founder Jackie Bona expressed that joining Stripe could accelerate the mission to expand economic opportunity through stablecoins and crypto payment rails. This development underscores Stripe's commitment to advancing the use of stablecoins and blockchain in payment systems worldwide.
