Stripe Scoops Up Valora Team to Boost Its Stablecoin Ambitions

What Is Stripe Gaining From Valora’s Team?

Stripe has acquired the team behind Valora, the mobile-first crypto wallet project built around stablecoin transfers on the Celo network. Valora founder Jackie Bona confirmed the move on Wednesday, saying the group would join Stripe “to pursue the mission of expanding global access to financial systems.” She did not disclose headcount or the terms of the deal.

Valora was created in 2021 later than spinning out from Celo’s core development studio, cLabs. The app was known for focusing on simple, peer-to-peer payments using . According to Bona, the acquisition does not include Valora’s intellectual property. The app will return to cLabs, which will overview its continued development.

The structure leaves Stripe with talent but not the product, while Valora’s user-facing technology goes back to its original ecosystem. The arrangement reflects Stripe’s growing interest in stablecoin infrastructure rather than consumer wallets.

Investor Takeaway

Why Is Stripe Accelerating Its Stablecoin Strategy?

Stripe has leaned into stablecoins over the past year, culminating in its purchase of Bridge in late October 2024. Bridge became the foundation for Stripe’s Open Issuance platform, which assists companies build custom stablecoins. Stripe also announced its involvement in Tempo, a payments-focused .

The company’s stablecoin division now spans issuance, management and custody services. It also aligns with Stripe’s ongoing pursuit of a in the United States, which would put its stablecoin efforts under a regulated banking structure.

Stripe co-founders Patrick and John Collison said in their annual letter that stablecoins represent an “improvement” on the “basic useability of money,” noting that the company spent years testing crypto payment models later than discontinuing BTC support in 2018. Stablecoins, they wrote, finally reached a point where they could support reliable payment flows.

Earlier this year, Stripe added another piece to the puzzle when it acquired Privy, a crypto wallet firm. Combined with the Valora acqui-hire, the company now has a larger crypto engineering base as it builds out a full stack.

Where Does This Leave Valora and the Celo Ecosystem?

Valora returns to cLabs later than four years as an independent project. Bona confirmed that the app “will continue to live on by returning to its original home at cLabs, which will steward its future development.” That keeps the product aligned with the Celo ecosystem as the blockchain transitions from its earlier Layer 1 design to its new role as an .

Valora had established itself as a peer-to-peer wallet focused on ease of use, aiming to make sending crypto “as simple as a text message.” It raised $20 million from investors including Andreessen Horowitz and . The project also attracted backing from public figures via a16z’s Cultural Leadership Fund, including Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Casey Neistat, Nas and Sean “Diddy” Combs.

The app has been active in emerging markets. Partnerships with M-Pesa supported expansion in parts of Africa, while work with accessibility. With cLabs regaining ownership, future development remains tied to the broader Celo roadmap.

Investor Takeaway

How Does This Fit Into Stripe’s Product Roadmap?

Stripe’s recent activity points to a multi-pronged approach to stablecoins: build issuance tools, run custodial and operational systems, and integrate stablecoins into merchant-facing flows. The Valora team adds experience in mobile-first wallets and , which fits Stripe’s broader push to make stablecoin transactions behave like any other digital payment.

Bona said Stripe “shares our conviction that stablecoins and crypto can dramatically expand who gets to participate in the global economy.” She also noted shared values on user access and product impact. That alignment suggests Stripe is pushing deeper into global payment channels where stablecoins can support remittances, settlement and cross-border infrastructure.

Unlike Stripe’s aborted BTC experiment in 2018, this iteration is built around that behave like predictable settlement assets rather than volatile tokens. Combined with Open Issuance and Tempo, Stripe now controls more of the stablecoin lifecycle — from creation to distribution to merchant settlement.

What Comes Next?

Stripe has not detailed how the Valora team will be integrated or what products they will work on. But given the company’s recent acquisitions and public comments, the team is expected to support its stablecoin division rather than consumer-facing wallet tools.

Meanwhile, Valora continues as an app within cLabs’ orbit, tied to Celo’s planned expansion as an ETH Layer 2. The move splits the original project across two efforts: Stripe gains engineering talent, and cLabs retains the product and user base.