TL;DR
PayPal has introduced a new peer-to-peer (P2P) payments feature called ‘Links‘, designed to simplify money transfers between users through a single-use, unique link.
The tool allows payments to be sent or received via text messages, emails, or chats. Each link automatically expires after ten days if unused. Users can send reminders or cancel the payment before it is accepted, and funds are deposited instantly into the recipient’s account. The feature is initially available in the United States and will expand in the coming weeks to the United Kingdom, Italy, and other international markets.
This update will soon integrate cryptocurrencies into the app’s P2P flow. Users will be able to send Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the PYUSD stablecoin, pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar. The integration will allow direct transfers between PayPal, Venmo, and a growing network of compatible digital wallets. The platform seeks to provide a unified method for moving money in both traditional and digital currencies, offering a high level of interoperability across different financial systems.
Through Links, PayPal aims to attract new users to its ecosystem by offering a simpler, more direct payment experience, increasing interaction and utility across its apps. Privacy is a central component of the service: transfers between friends and family remain exempt from 1099-K tax reporting, ensuring personal payments are not recorded for tax purposes.
PayPal’s focus on P2P transactions has generated sustained growth in total consumer payment volume, with a 10% year-over-year increase in the second quarter of 2025. Venmo recorded its highest TPV growth in three years, reflecting increasing adoption of these tools among users. The company projects that integrating Links will provide access to a smoother, more reliable, and faster payment gateway, capable of connecting billions of wallets and delivering secure transactions across multiple formats and jurisdictions
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