Stripe said on Wednesday it would acquire OpenRouter, an AI model gateway and routing platform that helps businesses optimize token usage across more than 400 models from over 80 providers.
OpenRouter dynamically evaluates requests and routes them based on task complexity, price, speed and reliability, allowing companies to manage AI workloads efficiently. Stripe has already begun assisting clients in optimizing token costs and routing, including through its Token Billing product introduced last year.
The acquisition follows growing demand for AI compute optimization as businesses scale artificial intelligence deployments. Companies such as NVIDIA, Zoom and Lovable already use OpenRouter’s platform to manage AI model interactions.
Stripe and OpenRouter did not disclose financial terms of the deal. The companies said the transaction is expected to close pending customary regulatory approvals.
Patrick Collison, cofounder and CEO of Stripe, said tokens are the central currency for companies building with AI, and efficient routing will be critical to maximizing profitability amid scarce compute resources. OpenRouter cofounder and CEO Alex Atallah said the deal would accelerate the company’s mission to provide a neutral layer for multi-model AI orchestration across the ecosystem.
