Catenaa, Saturday, December 13, 2025-IBM announced it will acquire data streaming platform Confluent in an $11 billion all-cash deal, aiming to strengthen its artificial intelligence and hybrid cloud offerings.
IBM will pay $31 per share for all outstanding Confluent stock. The transaction, expected to close by mid-2026, follows Confluent’s stock surging 29% after the announcement. IBM shares remained largely unchanged.
CEO Arvind Krishna said Confluent’s real-time data technology will enhance IBM’s software unit, allowing enterprises to manage data efficiently for AI applications while maintaining security and compliance.
Analysts view the acquisition as a strategic move to eliminate data silos and expand IBM’s AI-driven hybrid cloud ecosystem.
Confluent serves over 6,500 clients, including major cloud and technology providers such as AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft, Anthropic, and Snowflake.
The acquisition complements IBM’s previous purchases of HashiCorp for $6.4 billion in 2024 and Apptio for $4.6 billion in 2023, furthering its cloud and AI capabilities.
Wedbush analysts described the deal as a “strong move” for IBM’s AI ambitions, maintaining an overweight rating with a $325 price target.
The company anticipates global data growth to more than double by 2028, with increased demand for AI agents driving the need for unified, real-time data platforms.
