PayPal adds new one-to-one payment links that will soon support crypto

PayPal is introducing a new way for people to send money to one another through peer-to-peer (p2p) payments made via personalized, one-time links. The system, called PayPal Links, complements the company’s existing feature called PayPal Me, which will continue to exist as a way to share your profile information and make it easier to get found and paid.

The company explains that PayPal Me links are not payment requests tied to a specific amount — at least until the receiver inputs how much they plan to pay.

PayPal Me links were only used to get paid. The new PayPal Links, however, allow customers to either request or make a payment to another person by selecting the link option, inputting the amount, and then copying the link into a conversation. This makes the feature more useful for one-time payments or requests directly with another person without needing to identify and verify their profile or account information. As a result, there are fewer steps involved, making the payments faster.

In addition, PayPal links will soon be able to support crypto in the U.S., allowing users to send Bitcoin, Ethereum, PYUSD, and more to PayPal, Venmo, and other digital wallets that support crypto and stablecoins.

The feature will first be available to users in the U.S., but will expand later this month to other markets, including the U.K., Italy, and elsewhere.

To create a PayPal Link, users open the PayPal app and enter the details of the payment or request to generate a unique, one-time link. This link is private and is associated with just that transaction.

These PayPal Links can then be used in online conversations, texts, and DMs where money, costs, and purchases are being discussed. Any unclaimed links expire after 10 days, though users can send out a reminder or cancel the payment link at any time, if needed.

The recipient taps the link to complete the request or to accept the payment in the PayPal app, where funds are transferred instantly.

Personal payments remain exempt from 1099-K reporting, the company notes.