PayPal Ushers in a New Era of Peer-to-Peer Payments, Reimagining How Money Moves to Anyone, Anywhere

Rhea-AI Summary

PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) has unveiled PayPal links, a revolutionary peer-to-peer payment system that enables users to send and receive money through personalized, one-time links shareable across any conversation platform. Initially launching in the U.S., with international expansion planned for the UK and Italy later this month.

The company is also integrating crypto capabilities into its P2P payment flow, allowing U.S. users to send Bitcoin, Ethereum, and PYUSD across PayPal, Venmo, and other digital wallets. The platform reported 10% year-over-year growth in P2P and consumer total payment volume in Q2, with Venmo achieving its highest TPV growth in three years.

This initiative builds upon the recently announced PayPal World platform, aiming to connect billions of digital wallets globally while maintaining tax-friendly status for personal transfers.

Positive

• None.

Negative

• Limited initial availability to U.S. users only
• Payment links expire after 10 days if unclaimed

Insights

Fintech Product Strategist

PayPal's new P2P links and crypto integration enhance cross-platform payments, driving user acquisition and ecosystem growth amid rising transaction volumes.

PayPal's introduction of personalized payment links represents a strategic evolution of their P2P payment capabilities, addressing a critical friction point in digital payments. This innovation allows users to send money through any communication channel—texts, emails, messaging apps—without requiring the recipient to use the same platform. By making payments platform-agnostic, PayPal is significantly expanding its ecosystem's reach and utility.

This launch builds upon PayPal's recently announced PayPal World platform, which connects major global payment systems. The combined strategy creates a network effect that could accelerate user acquisition and retention. The company is clearly positioning itself as an interoperability layer across the fragmented payment landscape.

The integration of cryptocurrency into P2P payments further expands PayPal's value proposition, allowing users to transfer Bitcoin, Ethereum, and PYUSD across PayPal, Venmo, and other digital wallets. This reflects PayPal's commitment to embrace emerging payment technologies while maintaining its core strength in traditional transfers.

The 10% year-over-year growth in P2P and consumer payment volume indicates PayPal's existing strength in this segment. Notably, Venmo achieved its highest TPV (Total Payment Volume) growth in three years, suggesting the company's consumer products are gaining momentum despite intense competition from other payment apps. The timing of these features, coupled with existing growth, positions PayPal to potentially accelerate this positive trajectory.

Send and receive money as easily as sending a text, across apps, borders, and currencies

SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of the PayPal World announcement, a global platform connecting the world's largest digital payment systems and wallets, PayPal today introduced PayPal links, a new way to send and receive money through a personalized, one-time link that can be shared in any conversation.

PayPal users in the U.S. can begin creating personalized payment links today, with international expansion to the UK, Italy, and other markets starting later this month. By making payments this simple and universal, PayPal links helps drive new customer acquisition and brings more users into the PayPal ecosystem.

The peer-to-peer (P2P) experience is about to go even further. Crypto will soon be directly integrated into PayPal's new P2P payment flow in the app. This will make it more convenient for PayPal users in the U.S. to send Bitcoin, Ethereum, PYUSD, and more, to PayPal, Venmo, as well a rapidly growing number of digital wallets across the world that support crypto and stablecoins.

Expanding what people can do with PayPal also comes with reassurance around how personal payments are handled. As always, friends-and-family transfers through Venmo and PayPal are exempt from 1099-K reporting. Users won't receive tax forms for gifts, reimbursements, or splitting expenses, helping ensure that personal payments stay personal.

"For 25 years, PayPal has revolutionized how money moves between people. Now, we're taking the next major step," said Diego Scotti, General Manager, Consumer Group at PayPal. "Whether you're texting, messaging, or emailing, now your money follows your conversations. Combined with PayPal World, it's an unbeatable value proposition, showing up where people connect, making it effortless to pay your friends and family, no matter where they are or what app they're using."

P2P is a cornerstone of PayPal's consumer experience, driving engagement and bringing more users into the ecosystem. P2P and other consumer total payment volume saw solid growth in the second quarter, increasing 10% year-over-year as the company focused on improving the experience and increasing user discoverability to make it easier than ever to move money globally. Plus, Venmo saw its highest TPV growth in three years. With PayPal World unlocking seamless interoperability, P2P is poised for even greater momentum in the future as PayPal and Venmo connect to billions of wallets worldwide.

How PayPal links work:

• Create a personalized link – Open the PayPal app, enter the details of your payment or request, and generate a unique, one-time link to share.
• Always the right person – Each link is private, one-time use, and created for a specific transaction.
• Drop it anywhere – Send your link in a text, DM, email, or chat. Add a note, emoji, or payment note.
• Manage payment activity: Unclaimed links expire after 10 days. Users can send a reminder or even cancel the payment or request before the link is claimed with the PayPal app.
• Tap and done – The recipient taps the link and either completes or accepts the payment within the PayPal App with their PayPal account.
• Funds are instant – the recipient will get immediate access to their funds with a PayPal Balance account once accepted.

About PayPal
PayPal has been revolutionizing commerce globally for more than 25 years. Creating innovative experiences that make moving money, selling, and shopping simple, personalized, and secure, PayPal empowers consumers and businesses in approximately 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy. For more information, visit https://www.paypal.com, https://about.pypl.com/ and https://investor.pypl.com/.

About PayPal USD (PYUSD)   
PayPal USD is issued by Paxos Trust Company, LLC, a fully chartered limited purpose trust company. Paxos is licensed to engage in Virtual Currency Business Activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Reserves for PayPal USD are fully backed by U.S. dollar deposits, U.S. Treasuries and similar cash equivalents, and PayPal USD can be bought or sold through PayPal and Venmo at a rate of $1.00 per PayPal USD.  
PayPal, Inc. (NMLS ID #: 910457) is licensed to engage in Virtual Currency Business Activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services.    

Media contact
Gideon Anstey
gbanstey@paypal.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/paypal-ushers-in-a-new-era-of-peer-to-peer-payments-reimagining-how-money-moves-to-anyone-anywhere-302555930.html

SOURCE PayPal Holdings, Inc.

FAQ

What is PayPal's new payment feature announced in September 2025?

PayPal introduced PayPal links, a new feature that allows users to send and receive money through personalized, one-time links that can be shared in any conversation, including texts, DMs, emails, or chats.

Which cryptocurrencies can be sent through PayPal's new P2P payment system?

Users will be able to send Bitcoin, Ethereum, PYUSD, and other cryptocurrencies through PayPal's P2P payment system to PayPal, Venmo, and other digital wallets that support crypto and stablecoins.

How did PayPal's P2P payment volume perform in Q2 2025?

PayPal's P2P and consumer total payment volume grew 10% year-over-year in Q2 2025, with Venmo achieving its highest TPV growth in three years.

Which countries will get access to PayPal links?

PayPal links launched first in the United States, with international expansion planned for the UK, Italy, and other markets later in September 2025.

How long do PayPal payment links remain active?

PayPal payment links expire after 10 days if unclaimed. Users can send reminders or cancel the payment/request before the link is claimed through the PayPal app.