Stripe’s stablecoin partnerships head, Connor Fitzgerald, has left the company after helping build its stablecoin card program from the ground up. In a post on X, Fitzgerald said his final week at Stripe and Stablecoin was last week. He joined about a month after Stripe completed its acquisition and helped establish relationships with sponsor banks and card networks while handling regulatory and operational requirements across different markets.
Under his leadership, the program expanded to more than 100 markets, introduced a stablecoin settlement flow in the US and grew annualized volume to tens of millions of dollars. Fitzgerald said his work with dozens of stablecoin companies convinced him that the next generation of global banking will be built on blockchain networks. He did not provide details about his next move, saying more information would follow.
Last week was my final week at @Stablecoin and @stripe.
I joined one month after the acquisition closed, when no one had built a stablecoin card program with a true sponsor bank, and helped build the global card program from zero.
We did a lot of the hard work early, building…
— Connor Fitzgerald (@cnrfitz) July 27, 2026
Will Connor Fitzgerald’s exit affect Stripe’s stablecoin business?
Fitzgerald’s departure does not necessarily point to problems within Stripe’s stablecoin operations. The business now has established teams, partnerships and infrastructure that can continue without relying on one executive. The bigger question is whether Stripe can maintain the growth of its stablecoin strategy while replacing a leader who was closely involved in its early development.
Fitzgerald’s departure may bring a change in leadership or priorities, but the long-term direction of Stripe’s stablecoin business will depend on how well the company continues to develop the products and infrastructure already in place.
ALSO READ: Are Stablecoins Becoming the New ‘Central Business Digital Currencies’?
Users’ reactions to Fitzgerald’s exit
Reactions to Fitzgerald’s departure on X were largely positive, with users thanking him for his work and expressing interest in what he plans to do next. Some comments also highlighted how quickly Stripe’s stablecoin card program developed after the acquisition of Bridge, noting that the company moved from having no sponsor bank, card network relationships or card program to building a product operating across more than 100 markets.
Others focused on the timing of his departure, pointing out that Fitzgerald joined roughly one month after Stripe completed the Bridge acquisition in February 2025 and left after about a year and a half.
Meanwhile, Stripe and private equity firm Advent International made a joint bid to acquire PayPal Holdings for $60.50 per share. The bold proposal, which became public in mid-July 2026, is valued at more than $53 billion.
Enjoyed this? Bookmark DeFi Planet, explore related topics, and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and CoinMarketCap Community for seamless access to high-quality industry insights
Take control of your crypto portfolio with DEFI PLANET PRO, DeFi Planet’s suite of analytics tools.
