Revolut vs Stripe: Founders, CEOs and History
Revolut was founded in 2015 by Nikolay Storonsky, Vlad Yatsenko and is led by Nikolay Storonsky. Stripe was founded in 2010 by Patrick Collison, John Collison and is led by Patrick Collison.
Company facts
Founders
Revolut
Nikolay Storonsky
Nikolay (Nik) Storonsky co-founded Revolut in 2015 and has been its CEO since. He led the company from a prepaid travel card to a multinational bank with ~$5.94 billion (£4.5 billion) of 2025 revenue and remains its largest individual shareholder.
Vlad Yatsenko
Vlad Yatsenko co-founded Revolut with Storonsky in 2015 and served as its long-time chief technology officer, leading the in-house engineering of its core banking, payments and card platforms.
Stripe
Patrick Collison
Patrick Collison is Stripe's co-founder and CEO. Before Stripe he co-founded Auctomatic, an eBay seller-tools startup that was acquired in 2008. In 2010 he and his brother John started Stripe to make online payments easy for developers to integrate.
John Collison
John Collison is Stripe's co-founder and President. He has focused on Stripe's commercial expansion, large-customer relationships and partnerships with banks and card networks.
CEOs and their tenures
Revolut
- Nik Storonsky2015–present
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Has led Revolut since 2015, taking it to ~$5.94B (£4.5B) revenue in 2025 and a full UK banking licence in 2026.
Source - Vlad Yatsenko2015–present
Co-Founder
Long-time CTO who led the in-house build of Revolut's core banking and payments technology.
Source - Martin Gilbert2020–present
Chair
Former Aberdeen Asset Management chief who chairs Revolut's board through its UK licensing.
Source
Stripe
- Patrick Collison2010–present
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
He built Stripe from a developer payments API into a platform that handled $1.9 trillion of business volume in 2025.
Source - John Collison2010–present
Co-founder and President
John Collison co-founded Stripe and serves as President, focusing on commercial growth, large customers and partnerships with banks and card networks.
Source
Timeline: Revolut and Stripe side by side
2010Stripe
Stripe is founded
Patrick and John Collison founded Stripe to simplify online payments for developers.
2011Stripe
Stripe launches publicly
Stripe became known for developer-friendly payment APIs and fast onboarding.
2015Revolut
Revolut Founded at Level39 Canary Wharf
Nik Storonsky and Vlad Yatsenko founded Revolut in London, launching multi-currency cards with zero FX fees.
2017Revolut
Launches Revolut Business & Crypto Trading
Debuted corporate business accounts and cryptocurrency exchange, igniting rapid user growth past 1M users.
2018Revolut
$250M Series C at $1.7B Valuation & European Banking License
Achieved unicorn status led by DST Global and secured a European banking license from the Bank of Lithuania.
2020Revolut
$500M Series D at $5.5B Valuation Led by TCV
Raised $500M during the pandemic, expanding global operations into the United States, Japan, and Australia.
2020Stripe
Paystack acquisition
Stripe acquired Paystack to deepen payment infrastructure in African markets.
2021Revolut
$800M Series E at $33.0B Valuation Led by SoftBank & Tiger Global
Closed a large $800M financing round valuing Revolut at $33.0 billion, becoming the UK's most valuable tech firm.
2023Revolut
Revolut posts ~$2.38B (£1.8B) revenue and ~$578M (£438M) pre-tax profit
2023 results showed revenue nearly doubling.
2024Revolut
Secures UK Banking License Authorization from PRA
Achieved landmark approval for a UK banking license with restrictions from the Bank of England.
2024Revolut
$45.0B Valuation Secondary Sale Led by Coatue and Greenoaks
Completed landmark secondary share sale valuing Revolut at $45.0 billion, solidifying Europe's top tech valuation.
2025Revolut
$75B valuation
November 2025 share sale led by Coatue, Greenoaks, Dragoneer and Fidelity.
2025Stripe
Bridge acquisition completed
Stripe completed the Bridge acquisition and expanded stablecoin infrastructure.
2025Stripe
$1.9T in total volume
Businesses on Stripe generated $1.9 trillion in total volume, up 34% from 2024.
2026Revolut
Full UK banking licence
Revolut Bank UK exited mobilisation on 11 March 2026.
2026Revolut
$115B secondary share sale
July 2026 sale priced shares at $2,017.
2026Stripe
$159B tender valuation
Stripe announced a tender offer for current and former employees at a $159 billion valuation in February 2026.
2026Stripe
$53B PayPal bid dropped
Stripe and Advent International made a joint offer of about $53.4 billion for PayPal in July 2026 and abandoned it in late August.
2026Stripe
OpenRouter acquisition agreed
Stripe agreed to acquire AI model gateway OpenRouter in August 2026, reportedly for about $7.5 billion.
Acquisitions
Stripe
- OpenRouter2026$7.5B
- Bridge2025$1.1B
- Privy2025Undisclosed
- Metronome2025Undisclosed
- Lemon Squeezy2024Undisclosed
- Recko2021Undisclosed
Questions about Revolut vs Stripe
Who is the CEO of Revolut Ltd and Stripe, Inc.?
Revolut Ltd is led by Nikolay Storonsky and Stripe, Inc. is led by Patrick Collison. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Revolut Ltd founded vs Stripe, Inc.?
Stripe, Inc. was founded in 2010 — 5 years before Revolut Ltd, which was founded in 2015. Stripe, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Revolut Ltd.
How many employees does Revolut Ltd have compared to Stripe, Inc.?
Revolut Ltd employs approximately 12,000 people, while Stripe, Inc. employs approximately 9,000. Revolut Ltd has the larger workforce at 12,000 employees, compared to Stripe, Inc.'s 9,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Revolut Ltd and Stripe, Inc. headquartered?
Revolut Ltd is headquartered in United Kingdom and Stripe, Inc. is headquartered in United States / Ireland. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Revolut Ltd and Stripe, Inc.?
Revolut Ltd was founded by Nikolay Storonsky, Vlad Yatsenko. Stripe, Inc. was founded by Patrick Collison, John Collison.
Which company has a longer operating history — Revolut Ltd or Stripe, Inc.?
Stripe, Inc. has been operating for approximately 16 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Revolut Ltd has been in operation for around 11 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Revolut vs Stripe overview