PayPal has announced a major global expansion of its stablecoin, PYUSD, now making it accessible to users in 70 countries across Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America. The move marks a significant step in PayPal’s broader strategy to advance stablecoin adoption and modernize cross-border payments for both individuals and businesses.
Stablecoin Launch Covers Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Latin America
First rolled out in the United States in 2023, PYUSD is a dollar-backed stablecoin governed by US federal regulation. PayPal, a leading US-based payments company with hundreds of millions of users worldwide, has been steadily increasing its involvement in digital assets. The stablecoin now extends support for direct purchases, transfers, and digital payments to millions of PayPal wallet holders across numerous major markets, including Singapore, the United Kingdom, Colombia, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.
With this expansion, users are able to buy, hold, send, and receive PYUSD directly within their PayPal accounts. The update supports features beyond basic transactions, offering eligible customers rewards and the ability to convert stablecoin balances to local currencies for routine expenditures.
Cross-Border Payments Targeted For Improved Speed
The expansion is positioned to address long-standing issues in cross-border payments by promising faster settlements and greater convenience. PayPal emphasized the growth of PYUSD on social media, noting the aim to reduce pain points for global commerce and highlighting the stablecoin’s ability to deliver quicker transactions with lower fees.
“Cross-border payments don’t have to be painful. PYUSD is rolling out to the PayPal wallet across 70 markets — enabling faster settlements, lower costs, and built for everyday global commerce.”
This public messaging underscores PayPal’s broader push to provide reliable and accessible digital payment methods. The instant transfer and easy withdrawal features allow users to interact seamlessly with friends, family, and businesses, both within PayPal and via third-party digital wallets.
Merchants using PYUSD benefit from immediate access to payment proceeds, a departure from traditional business cycles that often take days or weeks. This increased liquidity is especially valuable for companies operating internationally, helping them manage cash flows more efficiently and allocate resources to growth and operations.
May Zabaneh, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Crypto at PayPal, addressed the limitations of the existing global payment system, explaining:
“The current system still charges too much, takes too long, and settles on timelines that were designed for a different era.”
Zabaneh highlighted that the launch in 70 markets is designed to give people faster access to their funds and more affordable ways to transfer money worldwide, which she described as central to advancing global commerce.
The US regulatory compliance and dollar peg attached to PYUSD are intended to support trust, providing users and businesses a stable option as digital currencies gain wider adoption. PayPal has indicated plans to complete the rollout to the remaining supported markets in the weeks ahead.
