Selfbook Chooses PayPal as Commerce Partner

Rhea-AI Summary

PayPal has partnered with Selfbook as its commerce partner to revolutionize hotel payments and bookings. The collaboration integrates PayPal, Venmo, and Buy Now, Pay Later options into Selfbook's hotel booking platform, while featuring Selfbook's hotel network on PayPal's app. The partnership leverages AI technology through Perplexity integration, enabling conversational booking experiences. PayPal's integration typically increases online travel payment conversion by 84%. Hotels will benefit from direct distribution through PayPal Offers, accessing millions of users while avoiding commission fees. Selfbook will also transition its credit card processing to PayPal's Enterprise Payments, creating a streamlined, AI-powered checkout process with exclusive rates for travelers.

Positive

• Integration with PayPal expected to increase conversion rates by 84% for online travel payments
• Hotels can access PayPal's large user base while avoiding commission fees through direct distribution
• Addition of flexible payment options including PayPal, Venmo, and Buy Now, Pay Later solutions
• AI-powered booking integration with Perplexity enhances user experience and modernizes travel booking

Negative

• None.

Insights

Fintech Payments Analyst

PayPal's partnership with Selfbook strengthens its position in travel payments while expanding its AI commerce ecosystem.

This strategic partnership between PayPal and Selfbook represents a significant advancement in PayPal's vertical expansion strategy, particularly in the high-value travel sector. By integrating its payment solutions (including PayPal, Venmo, and BNPL options) into Selfbook's hotel booking platform, PayPal gains access to the lucrative hotel payment processing market while strengthening its position in AI-powered commerce.

The integration with Perplexity's conversational AI platform is especially noteworthy, as it positions PayPal at the forefront of agentic commerce - allowing seamless transactions within AI assistant conversations. This move aligns perfectly with emerging consumer behavior shifts toward AI-assisted shopping and planning.

For PayPal, this partnership delivers multiple revenue streams: transaction fees from hotel bookings, expanded usage of its BNPL products, and enterprise payment processing for Selfbook's credit card transactions. The company claims its payment solutions can increase conversion rates by an average of 84% for online travel payments - a compelling value proposition for hotels.

The partnership's structure, featuring Selfbook's hotels within the PayPal app's Offers tab, creates a new distribution channel that bypasses traditional OTA commission structures. This gives PayPal a strategic position as both payment processor and customer acquisition channel for hotels - potentially disrupting traditional hospitality distribution models while generating significant transaction volume.

PayPal will power payments for Selfbook's recent integration with Perplexity
Selfbook will integrate PayPal and Venmo as payment options for its hotel customers
Selfbook's network of hotels will be featured on the PayPal app
Selfbook will leverage PayPal's Enterprise Payments for all direct card processing 

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Selfbook has tapped PayPal as its commerce partner to make paying for hotels faster, smarter, and fully embedded in agentic experiences. Travelers who checkout with PayPal and Venmo will gain access to exclusive rates, generating meaningful savings, and driving better conversion for Selfbook's hotel customers. Selfbook's hotel customers will be featured on the Offers tab in the PayPal app. Additionally, PayPal Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) will be offered for many hotel brands that integrate with Selfbook. 

The partnership will advance travel booking into the age of agentic AI by leveraging conversational AI to help customers book and pay. Selfbook and PayPal are both partners with Perplexity, allowing consumers to search, book and pay for hotels within the chat. As consumers increasingly rely on AI agents for shopping and making plans, it's critical that enterprises have the ability to make the checkout experience seamless through an agent chat. 

Enterprises that offer PayPal and Venmo at checkout typically see increased conversion rates. PayPal has shown to help increase conversion by an average of 84%¹ among customers who pay online for travel. Selfbook's hotel customers will soon benefit from this. Selfbook will integrate PayPal, Venmo, and PayPal's BNPL solutions as payment options within hotel booking experiences, providing consumers with greater choice and enhanced flexibility at checkout. Selfbook's credit card processing will move to PayPal's Enterprise Payments. 

"Travel is one of the biggest purchases people make online. With PayPal, we're uniting two things travelers care about most: trust and value," said Khalid Meniri, CEO of Selfbook. "What was once a multi-step process will be a streamlined, AI-powered checkout—with exclusive rates and low friction." 

"AI is fundamentally changing how consumers plan and pay for their vacations and getaways," said Alex Chriss, President and CEO of PayPal. "Together with Selfbook, we're embedding hotel booking in the new ways travelers are planning trips with agentic chats like Perplexity. PayPal is thrilled to bring agentic commerce solutions to travel." 

For hotels, this partnership represents a powerful shift towards direct distribution to consumers through offers within the PayPal app. Through PayPal Offers, PayPal users can access exclusive rates from Selfbook's network of hotels, which do not incur commission fees—significantly enhancing their profitability. This strategy allows hotels to control their brand narrative and pricing while leveraging PayPal's extensive network of millions of authenticated, digitally savvy consumers. 

About Selfbook
Selfbook is reshaping hospitality commerce through innovative AI integration and seamless booking infrastructure. Dedicated to empowering hotels' brand narratives and enhancing direct distribution, Selfbook merges real-time travel data with advanced AI, offering intelligent, personalized booking journeys from discovery to checkout. Recognized globally for innovative solutions and exceptional quality, Selfbook collaborates with leading hotel groups, fintech pioneers, and AI platforms to shape the future of travel commerce and guest engagement. 

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/.

Media Contacts
PayPal: Malini Mitra, malini.mitra@paypal.com, Louise Kelly, louikelly@paypal.com
Selfbook: selfbook@sixeastern.com

¹ Checkout conversion measured from the point at which customers start to pay. Nielsen Study, Commissioned by PayPal, Nielsen Media Behavioral Panel of USA with 408,000 large enterprise desktop purchase transactions, from 25,000 consumers between January-December 2022. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/selfbook-chooses-paypal-as-commerce-partner-302476413.html

SOURCE PayPal, Inc.

FAQ

What are the main benefits of PayPal's partnership with Selfbook for PYPL investors?

The partnership expands PayPal's presence in the travel sector, adds new revenue streams through hotel bookings, and increases transaction volume through both direct payments and BNPL services.

How will the Selfbook partnership affect PayPal's (PYPL) conversion rates in travel?

PayPal has shown to help increase conversion rates by an average of 84% among customers who pay online for travel.

What payment options will be available through the PayPal-Selfbook partnership?

The partnership will offer PayPal, Venmo, and PayPal's Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solutions as payment options for hotel bookings.

How does the PayPal-Selfbook partnership benefit hotels?

Hotels can access PayPal's large user base through the PayPal Offers tab without paying commission fees, while maintaining control over their brand and pricing.

What role does AI play in the PayPal-Selfbook partnership?

The partnership leverages conversational AI through Perplexity integration to enable seamless search, booking, and payment processes within chat interfaces.