[1/2] A smartphone with the Stripe logo is placed on a laptop in this illustration taken on July 14, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File PhotoJan 26 (Reuters) - Digital payments firm Stripe has hired Wall Street banks Goldman Sachs (GS.N) and JP Morgan (JPM.N) to explore a public listing and alternatives to allow employees to cash out stakes in the private company, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Either possibility would address the problem that some employee share options are coming up for expiry but Stripe shares are not currently listed. Many companies backed by venture capital that would normally be regarded as mature enough for public listing have postponed such plans, hoping for higher valuations when the market recovers. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier on Thursday that Stripe had approached investors to raise at least $2 billion at a valuation of $55 billion to $60 billion.

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