By Abhinaya Prabhu
Publication Date: 2025-12-09 11:03:00
International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) is placing one of its biggest bets in years, agreeing to acquire data-streaming platform Confluent for about $9.3 billion. IBM will pay $31 per share, valuing the deal at $11 billion including debt, with completion expected by mid-2026. A regulatory filing revealed a $453.6 million breakup fee should the agreement fall through. The announcement sent Confluent shares soaring nearly 29%, while IBM’s stock rose as much as 2.4%.
Strengthens IBM’s position in real-time enterprise software
The acquisition is strategic in a world where businesses increasingly depend on systems that react instantly rather than run on outdated, batch-based models. Founded in 2014 by LinkedIn alumni, including Neha Narkhede, Jay Kreps, and Jun Rao, Confluent specialises in real-time data streaming, powering essential use cases across industries.
Michelin has used it to monitor and optimise raw material inventories, while Instacart relies on it…
