Stripe to Acquire OpenRouter, the One-Stop AI Gateway to 400 Models, for Over $7 Billion

Stripe is reportedly buying OpenRouter, the AI model gateway with 8 million users and access to 400+ models, in a deal worth more than $7 billion.

Stripe is moving deeper into the AI economy with a reported deal to acquire OpenRouter, the startup that acts as a gateway to more than 400 AI models, for more than $7 billion, according to Bloomberg.

OpenRouter lets developers tap into many different large language models through a single API — picking whichever model fits a given task and budget — while avoiding lock-in to any one provider. CEO Alex Atallah has described the company as "the equivalent of Stripe for AI," the same way Stripe gives businesses one checkout across many payment methods.

The startup has scaled fast. In May it raised a $113 million Series B at a $1.3 billion valuation from Sequoia, Andreessen Horowitz, Menlo Ventures, and Alphabet's Capital G, and it now says it counts 8 million users worldwide.

The Wall Street Journal first reported last month that the two companies were in talks. Bloomberg now reports those discussions have produced a deal price north of $7 billion. A Stripe spokesperson declined to comment on "rumors or speculation."

Sources: TechCrunch, NewsBytes