Connor Fitzgerald, who led Stripe’s work with stablecoins, is leaving the company. He was instrumental in creating and launching their stablecoin card program, which now operates in over 100 countries.
Summary
- Stripe partnerships head Connor Fitzgerald has left the company after helping build its global stablecoin card program.
- He joined Bridge shortly after Stripe acquired the stablecoin infrastructure company and helped establish sponsor bank and card network partnerships.
- His departure comes as Stripe continues expanding its regulated stablecoin payment infrastructure through Bridge.
Connor Fitzgerald shared on X (formerly Twitter) that he left Stripe and its stablecoin project, Bridge, last week. He joined the company soon after Stripe bought the stablecoin platform.
Last week marked the end of my time at both Stablecoin and Stripe. I joined just a month after the companies merged, and at a time when no one had successfully created a stablecoin card program backed by a real bank. I was instrumental in building their global card program from the ground up. We tackled many of the biggest challenges right from the start, focusing on…
— Connor Fitzgerald (@cnrfitz) July 27, 2026
Fitzgerald joined Bridge one month after Stripe bought the company, when creating a reliable debit card for stablecoins with bank backing was still new territory. His initial focus was building the necessary partnerships with banks and card networks to get the program running, with plans to later expand it globally.
As I understand it from speaking with Fitzgerald, getting started was incredibly challenging. We essentially had to build relationships with banks from the ground up, navigating all the different rules and logistical hurdles in each new market we entered. Beyond that, my team focused on building a solid foundation – the infrastructure needed to eventually scale our operations worldwide.
In the year that followed, Fitzgerald reported the program expanded to over 100 cities, pioneered the first use of stablecoins for settlements in the U.S., and grew its yearly payment processing from nothing to tens of millions of dollars.
Fitzgerald shared that he had the opportunity to collaborate with talented individuals in the fintech industry, some of whom he became close friends with. He also gained firsthand insight into how Stripe grows and functions on a large scale.
Connor Fitzgerald led partnerships at Stripe, collaborating with payment networks, banks, and fintech businesses. While there, he helped Stripe strengthen its relationships with companies like Visa, enabling stablecoin-backed card programs for digital wallets and fintech platforms.
He’s leaving as Stripe develops its payment system using stablecoins, building on technology from its recent purchase of Bridge.
Bridge acquisition strengthened Stripe’s blockchain payments business
Stripe has finalized its purchase of Bridge for around $1.1 billion. This acquisition will help Stripe expand its capabilities in stablecoin payments, allowing businesses to more easily send and receive money using blockchain technology.
The company has since expanded its offerings to include new stablecoins and broadened access to its secure payment services in more countries.
Earlier this month, Bridge secured approval from Luxembourg authorities to operate as both a crypto-asset service provider under MiCA regulations and an Electronic Money Institution, as crypto.news previously covered. This dual licensing allows Bridge to offer its services throughout all 27 countries in the European Union with unified regulatory oversight.
Bridge says these new licenses allow companies to launch their own euro-based stablecoins, generate unique virtual IBANs, and provide euro accounts across the EU—all without needing to set up individual banking connections in every nation.
Bridge explained that fintechs can now easily connect to euro accounts across borders with just one integration. Businesses can also utilize stablecoins to transfer money between their different branches, offering a simpler alternative to older methods like correspondent banking.
These recent regulatory approvals come after an expansion announced earlier this year. Back in March, Visa revealed it was broadening its collaboration with Stripe to introduce Visa cards powered by stablecoins in over 100 countries before the end of 2026.
After Bridge completed its acquisition, Fitzgerald came on board and explained that the company spent a significant amount of time building the essential banking, legal, and technical foundations before expanding the program globally.
Fitzgerald says banking will be built natively onchain
Fitzgerald shared that he plans to continue working with the technology behind digital finance in his future projects.
Having worked with many stablecoin companies at both Stripe and Bridge, Fitzgerald believes the future of global banking will be built directly on blockchain technology.
He did not disclose his future plans but said more information would be shared soon.
These statements follow growing investment in stablecoin technology by payment firms looking to offer both traditional and blockchain-powered financial services.
Stablecoins remain central to Stripe’s payments strategy
Stripe is increasingly incorporating stablecoins into its payment services and is actively working to expand into key markets with appropriate regulatory compliance.
We’ve integrated Bridge’s technology with our existing payment system to help companies and developers easily send and receive international payments, work with stablecoins, and issue cards.
Stripe isn’t just focused on Bridge; the company also recently made a bid to buy PayPal. In June, Stripe teamed up with investment firm Advent International to offer around $53 billion for PayPal, as Reuters reported.
Reuters reports that PayPal’s board believes the offer of $60.50 per share doesn’t reflect the company’s true worth. They considered factors like how easily the deal could be financed, potential regulatory issues, and the risks of making it happen before deciding what to do next. Despite the board’s concerns, talks are still ongoing with Stripe and Advent.
If approved, this deal would combine PayPal’s cryptocurrency payment options – like its PYUSD stablecoin created with Paxos – with Stripe’s developing infrastructure for stablecoins, which they built using Bridge. According to Reuters, Stripe and Advent also discussed possible changes to the agreement that might be needed to satisfy antitrust regulators.
2026-07-27 10:28