PayPal (PYPL) Stock Jumps 9%: Is a Takeover Actually Happening?

TLDR

• PayPal surged up to 9% Monday after Bloomberg reported the company has attracted takeover interest from potential buyers.
• At least one large rival is looking at acquiring the whole company, while others are eyeing specific assets only.
• Trading was briefly halted due to volatility; the stock closed up 5.8% at $44.05, topping the S&P 500.
• PayPal’s stock is down ~25% in 2026 and ~41% over the past 12 months, giving it a market cap around $38.4 billion.
• The company’s new CEO, Enrique Lores, takes over on March 1 following the surprise exit of Alex Chriss.

PayPal Holdings ($PYPL) shot up as much as 9% on Monday after Bloomberg reported the payments company has drawn takeover interest from potential buyers.

PayPal Holdings, Inc., PYPL

Trading was briefly halted due to volatility before the stock settled and closed the session up 5.8% at $44.05 — making it the best-performing stock in the S&P 500 that day.

The Bloomberg report, citing people familiar with the matter, said PayPal has held meetings with banks following unsolicited interest from suitors.

At least one large rival is reportedly looking at buying the entire company. Other interested parties are focused on specific PayPal assets rather than the whole business.

The sources were careful to note that interest is still at an early stage and may not lead to any deal. PayPal declined to comment, telling Barron’s it does not comment on rumors or speculation.

The stock’s jump stands out given the rough stretch PayPal has been through. The stock is down roughly 25% so far in 2026 and about 41% over the past 12 months.

That decline has pulled PayPal’s market cap down to around $38.4 billion — a level that has apparently caught the attention of potential acquirers.

A Company in Transition

PayPal is heading into this period of speculation without a permanent CEO in place. Former chief executive Alex Chriss departed in a surprise move, and incoming CEO Enrique Lores is not set to officially take the helm until March 1.

The leadership gap has added pressure to the stock in early 2026, alongside concerns about slowing growth and turbulence in the broader fintech sector.

Monday’s gains are a rare bright spot. The rest of the market had a tough session — all three major U.S. indexes finished in the red, weighed down by concerns over tariffs and the economic impact of artificial intelligence.

PayPal bucked that trend entirely, finishing at the top of the S&P 500 leaderboard.

Still a Deep Hole to Climb Out Of

Even with Monday’s pop, the stock remains well below where it was a year ago.

The S&P 500 has gained around 14% over the past 12 months. PayPal has lost 41% over the same period. That gap tells the story of just how much ground the company has lost relative to the broader market.

The company’s market cap sitting near $38.4 billion is a far cry from its pandemic-era highs, when it was valued at over $300 billion.

Whether any deal actually materializes remains to be seen. Sources close to the matter stressed the interest is preliminary.

Lores is set to take over as CEO on March 1, which will be his first real test in the role.

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