Fast AI Markets Force Strategic M&A at Non-DCF Prices; Private Companies Execute Public-Scale Deals
In 10x/year markets, acquirers (SpaceX, Stripe) pay strategic value not DCF — Cursor at 10x forward revenue, OpenRouter at 70x trailing; private companies use high-multiple stock as currency to close $60B/$7B deals in weeks while public peers (Meta, Microsoft) face antitrust and inertia.
Private companies executing public-scale M&A using stock currency while avoiding antitrust
SpaceX ($60B Cursor) and Stripe ($7B OpenRouter + potential $40-50B PayPal) demonstrate private firms can do mega-deals using high-flying stock as currency, closing in weeks without antitrust hurdles (SpaceX) or with clever structuring (Stripe). This changes the exit landscape: strategic buyers with private currency can outbid public companies burdened by regulatory scrutiny.