禁漫天堂

is scrambling.听

The payments processing startup from San Francisco is seeking to raise around $2.5 billion, , which would raise Stripe鈥檚 valuation from $55 billion to $60 billion.听

, which led Stripe鈥檚 Series C and contributed to its Series E (according to 禁漫天堂 data), contributed $1 billion to the fundraising efforts per the report.听

Stripe鈥檚 raise will likely not go toward bolstering the company鈥檚 operations, . Instead, the company will use the funds to resolve the expiring stock units held by employees.听

Collapsing under late-stage pressure

Stock options are a crucial tool for tech startups to recruit and retain valuable employees, and several veteran members of Stripe also have stock units that are set to expire this year. Stripe is considering going public or facilitating a private market transaction to allow employees to liquidate those assets.听

Stripe鈥檚 next moves could pave the way for other late-stage, high-value companies grappling with the same problems. It鈥檚 the fifth-highest valued startup on , under , owner and .

The company, which spent the majority of its last 12 years flourishing, is now reckoning with a frosty market. The startup was valued at a high of $95 billion back in March 2021, when the company raised a $600 million Series H round. At the time, co-founder said he had .听

That valuation was, reportedly, later cut down to $74 billion in July and amid a funding pullback. But Stripe鈥檚 current reported valuation of $55 billion is still light years ahead of where it was in 2020, when it was valued at $36 billion.听

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