Advisory
TechStock²
Shopify's shares climbed 11.5% to $126.88 on July 28, 2026, with an additional 0.6% gain in premarket trading. RBC Capital Markets ranked Shopify among the top five software firms with strong AI defensibility, citing its payments infrastructure as a key differentiator. Payments accounted for 84% of merchant-solutions growth in Q1, with GMV rising 41% to $67.1 billion and penetration reaching 67%. Merchant solutions grew 39%, outpacing subscription solutions' 21% growth.
This performance highlights Shopify's evolution into an infrastructure-focused ecosystem, encompassing checkout systems, fraud management, and payment processing. Broader software-sector gains, driven by declining Treasury yields, also contributed to Shopify's outperformance, solidifying its competitive edge.
Why it matters: Shopify's payments-driven growth and AI defensibility strengthen its market position, challenging competitors to match its infrastructure depth. Broader software-sector gains suggest a favorable environment for enterprise SaaS valuations.