PayPal to offer crypto payments starting in 2021

PayPal announced on Wednesday its entry into the cryptocurrency market, according to multiple reports.

PayPal customers will be able to use cryptocurrencies to shop at any merchant in its large network starting from early 2021, the company said.

The payments will be settled through fiat currencies, similar to many existing crypto merchant solutions like BitPay. This means that the merchants will be receiving fiat, as PayPal will take care of the conversion. 

The coins initially supported will include Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Litecoin (LTC), the company said. The payments giant partnered with Paxos to deliver the service, and it obtained a conditional cryptocurrency license from the New York State Department of Financial Services, commonly known as the BitLicense.

In addition to cryptocurrency payments, PayPal users will also be able to purchase crypto directly through the app. PayPal will thus feature a cryptocurrency wallet, letting users buy, sell and hold crypto via the PayPal apps.

PayPal is one of the largest global payment providers, with 346 million active accounts and $222 billion in volume processed in Q2 2020. It was one of the initial founding members of the Libra association, though it subsequently dropped out after regulatory pressure mounted for the project.

Related: Bitcoin breaks above $12.3K after PayPal confirms Venmo to become BTC wallet

Rumors of a planned crypto integration surfaced earlier this year. The company is nevertheless often criticized in crypto circles due to perceived unfair practices and the amount of control it has within its own network.