PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) is a leading global digital payments platform that enables individuals and businesses to make and receive payments online, in person, and on mobile devices. The company traces its roots to 1998 when it was founded as Confinity, later merging with Elon Musk’s X.com in 2000. After being acquired by eBay in 2002, PayPal was spun off as an independent public company in 2015, positioning it to accelerate innovation in digital commerce and expand its footprint beyond the eBay marketplace.
For consumers, PayPal offers a versatile digital wallet that supports peer-to-peer money transfers, online checkouts, and in-app purchases. Its Venmo service has become a popular peer-to-peer payments app in the United States, helping users split bills, pay friends, and shop with approved merchants. PayPal’s consumer suite also includes Xoom for international money transfers and a range of credit and debit solutions such as PayPal Credit and PayPal Debit Mastercard, which cater to diverse payment preferences and credit profiles.
On the merchant side, PayPal provides businesses of all sizes with a comprehensive set of payment processing tools and software solutions. Through its Braintree and Hyperwallet subsidiaries, PayPal supports merchants in accepting online, mobile, and in-person payments, managing payouts, and integrating subscription billing. PayPal also offers advanced fraud protection, seller risk management and tailored financing options, helping businesses optimize conversion rates and scale their operations across multiple sales channels.
Today, PayPal serves more than 400 million active accounts across over 200 markets, supporting transactions in nearly 100 currencies. The company is headquartered in San Jose, California, and operates a network of regional offices around the world. Under the leadership of President and Chief Executive Officer Dan Schulman, PayPal continues to invest in emerging technologies—such as digital wallets, QR code payments and cryptocurrencies—with the aim of driving financial inclusion and expanding access to digital commerce for individuals and businesses globally.
