Stripe announced it will pay more than $7 billion to acquire Open Router, a startup dubbed the “Stripe of AI” that helps developers route AI model requests to cut costs. The company, founded by an NFT entrepreneur, had been valued at $1.3 billion earlier this year.

In a statement, Patrick Collison said that “tokens are the central currency for companies building with AI,” and noted the deal marks “Day 119 of the singularity.” He emphasized that Stripe’s earlier AI efforts were less close to foundational players like Open AI and Anthropic, and the acquisition positions the payments giant at the forefront of AI infrastructure.

The purchase is Stripe’s largest-ever acquisition since its founding in 2010. Collison later told investors that staying private lets Stripe navigate the coming “singularity,” the point when AI surpasses human capability, without the pressures of public markets.