Headline: "Stripe Acquires Bridge: Expanding Horizons with Stablecoin Infrastructure"

Fintech giant Stripe has announced its acquisition of stablecoin infrastructure provider startup Bridge. According to a report last week from Forbes, citing sources familiar with the matter, the deal is valued at $1.1 billion. Founded in 2010 by billionaires John Collison and Patrick Collison, Stripe was valued at $65 billion earlier this year, making it one of the highest-valued private startups in the US. Digital currencies have gained interest following the US Securities and Exchange Commission's decision earlier this year to allow bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds, easing scrutiny and paving the way for cryptocurrencies' adoption by major firms. Last year, PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) launched a US dollar stablecoin, becoming the first major fintech company to embrace digital currencies for payments and transfers.