PayPal has rolled out a new feature that brings money transfers into the digital age with the same ease as sending a text message.
Dubbed “PayPal Links,” this service enables the company’s 278 million U.S. customers to send personalized, one-time payment links through text messages, direct messages, or email—simplifying the way money moves between people.
The innovation doesn’t stop with traditional currency.
Users can now send and receive cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and PayPal’s own PYUSD stablecoin.
Think of it as slipping a twenty into a birthday card, except now that “twenty” could be digital assets zipping across cyberspace in seconds.
Each link created is private and can include a specific amount and note.
Once generated, recipients can deposit crypto into compatible wallets including PayPal, Venmo, Coinbase Wallet, MetaMask, and others.
If that link goes unclaimed after 10 days—poof!—it automatically expires, adding an extra layer of security.
The service also provides a layer of control for users, as senders have the ability to cancel payment requests before they are claimed by recipients.
For those worried about tax implications (the digital equivalent of finding surprise mushrooms in your garden), PayPal has clarified that friends-and-family transfers won’t trigger those pesky 1099-K tax forms.
This addresses a major concern for users who simply want to split dinner tabs or reimburse friends without government paperwork.
New investors using PayPal for crypto transactions should maintain detailed transaction records to streamline their tax reporting obligations.
The feature is available on both iOS and Android with no additional fees.
PayPal is also creating 100 new jobs in Dublin as part of its global expansion strategy.
While PayPal Me links have existed previously, this new service streamlines the process by setting payment amounts upfront and focusing on one-time transfers.
PayPal’s latest move comes amid strong growth in peer-to-peer payments, which contributed to a 10% increase in consumer payment volume during Q2.
The service will expand internationally within a month, starting with the U.K. and Italy.
As General Manager Diego Scotti emphasized, the goal is making money as mobile as our communications.
In a world where we’re constantly texting, it only makes sense that our financial transactions should be just as conversational.
