Stripe's 2025 Annual Letter: Internet GDP Growth Driven by AI, E-commerce, and Financial Infrastructure
Stripe's 2025 annual letter reveals that businesses on its platform generated $1.9 trillion in volume (34% YoY growth), equivalent to 1.6% of global GDP. The letter highlights accelerating adoption across AI companies, Fortune 500 firms, and startups, with e-commerce and software driving nearly half of US GDP growth. Stripe Capital's lending program demonstrates measurable economic impact, with financed businesses growing 27 percentage points faster than peers.
Metrics in this report
20%
percentage in 2025
Stripe Atlas startups
8%
percentage in 2020
Stripe Atlas startups
5%
inflation-adjusted
US retail segment
100%
doubled count
2024 to 2025 comparison
25%
percentage
new startup incorporations
90%
percentage
Fortune 500 segment
30%
inflation-adjusted
US retail segment
3xmultiple
faster growth rate
top 10% of Stripe Capital recipients vs peers
27 percentage points%
faster growth rate
Stripe Capital recipients vs peers
68%
since 2010
post-GFC lending trends
-5%
since 2010
post-GFC lending trends
80%
percentage
tech company segment
50%
faster growth rate
new companies joining Stripe
100 percentage points%
faster growth rate
11-20% of Stripe Capital recipients vs peers
41%
annual approval rate
US small business segment in 2025
-9 percentage points%
change since 2015
US small business segment 2015-2025
45%
year-over-year
2024 to 2025
81000count
cumulative
small business lending program
1.9 trillion$
annual total
all businesses on Stripe platform globally
34%
year-over-year
2024 to 2025
1.6%
approximate
global economy
5 millioncount
direct or via platforms
total active businesses
50%
approximately
2025 GDP growth drivers