PayPal’s Crypto Revolution: 90% Cheaper Cross-Border Payments Go Live

Banks hate this one trick: PayPal just bulldozed traditional finance with crypto-powered international transfers.

The fee massacre

That 90% slash isn't just a discount—it's a warning shot. Legacy payment rails now look like highway robbery by comparison.

Borderless money, finally

No more correspondent banking delays. No more hidden FX markups. Just near-instant settlements at a fraction of the cost—exactly what crypto promised back in 2009.

The fine print

Of course there's a catch (it's PayPal). You'll still need to convert to fiat at the other end—because merchants somehow still think volatile magic internet money is riskier than inflating toilet paper currencies.

Pay with crypto

This is made possible by instant conversions from crypto into fiat or PayPal USD (PYUSD), its native stablecoin. The platform supports over 100 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, and is compatible with major wallets like Coinbase and MetaMask.

PayPal estimates that this move opens access to over 650 million crypto users worldwide, allowing merchants to tap into a rapidly growing digital asset economy.

Alex Chriss, PayPal’s President and CEO, emphasized the program’s potential to eliminate long-standing barriers in international commerce.

He said:

“Imagine a shopper in Guatemala buying a special gift from a merchant in Oklahoma City. Using PayPal’s open platform, the business can accept crypto for payments, increase their profit margins, pay lower transaction fees, get near instant access to proceeds, and grow funds stored as PYUSD at 4% when held on PayPal.”

“Pay with Crypto” consolidates fiat and crypto payments into a single interface, giving consumers flexible payment options while empowering merchants to reach global markets. It also aligns with PayPal’s broader efforts to expand stablecoin usage and drive financial efficiency.

The initiative follows recent developments, including PayPal’s partnership with Fiserv to promote global stablecoin adoption.

PayPal World

Meanwhile, the company recently launched “PayPal World,” a new platform designed to connect major digital wallets and simplify cross-border commerce.

The initiative will debut with interoperability between five key players, including PayPal, Venmo, Tenpay Global, NPCI International (UPI), and Mercado Pago.

According to the firm, this reinforces its commitment to simplified, low-cost digital commerce. Chriss said:

“These innovations don’t just simplify payments—they drive merchant growth, expand consumer choice, and reduce costs. This is the future of inclusive, borderless commerce, and we’re proud to lead it.”