PayPal’s New Instant Links Will Soon Support Crypto

PayPal launched a new peer-to-peer (P2P) payment feature called PayPal Links in the United States today, allowing users to send and request specific monetary amounts via personalized, one-time shareable links that will soon support cryptocurrency transactions.

How PayPal Links Differ from PayPal Me

The new PayPal Links feature is designed to complement the company’s existing “PayPal Me” service, which will remain active. While PayPal Me serves as a permanent profile link to help others find and pay you, it does not lock in a specific transaction amount upfront. Instead, the sender must manually enter the figure they wish to transfer.

In contrast, PayPal Links allow users to initiate both payment requests and direct payments. By selecting the link option within the app and entering a specific amount, users generate a unique URL that they can copy and paste directly into any conversation. This eliminates the need to search for, identify, or verify account profiles, significantly reducing the steps required to complete a transaction.

Upcoming Crypto Support and Global Rollout

In a major update for digital asset users, PayPal Links will soon support cryptocurrency transactions for customers in the United States. This upcoming integration will enable users to transfer Bitcoin, Ethereum, PayPal USD (PYUSD), and other supported tokens directly to PayPal, Venmo, and external compatible digital wallets.

While the feature is debuting first for U.S. accounts, PayPal plans to roll out the service to international markets later this month, including the United Kingdom, Italy, and several other countries.

How to Generate and Use PayPal Links

To create a link, users simply open the PayPal mobile app, enter the specific transaction details, and generate a secure, one-time link. Each link is entirely private and bound strictly to that individual transaction, making it highly secure for sharing across messaging apps, text messages, and social media DMs.

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Expiration and Tax Implications

These transaction links remain active for 10 days. If a link goes unclaimed, it automatically expires, though senders retain the ability to issue reminders or cancel the link at any point before completion. Once the recipient clicks the link, they are redirected to the PayPal app to instantly accept the funds or fulfill the payment request.

Additionally, PayPal confirmed that these personal, one-to-one payments remain exempt from IRS 1099-K tax reporting requirements.