Sponsored Link

Risky Business: PayPal App Lets People Buy Cryptocurrencies

Ina Steiner
PayPal
Risky Business: PayPal App Lets People Buy Cryptocurrencies

PayPal is making it easier for ordinary people to buy cryptocurrency, but it’s not clear that ordinary people will comprehend the risk.

PayPal is letting people buy and sell cryptocurrency within the Venmo app with as little as a dollar, it announced today (April 20). The move comes 3 weeks after PayPal launched Checkout with Crypto, which allows people to use cryptocurrency as a funding method when buying with PayPal.

PayPal said in its announcement:

“With crypto on Venmo, customers can view cryptocurrency trends, buy or sell crypto, and access in-app guides and videos to help answer commonly asked questions and learn more about the world of crypto. Customers using crypto on Venmo can choose from four types of cryptocurrency: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash. When they make transactions, customers can also choose to share their crypto journey with their friends through the Venmo feed.”

Crypto on Venmo is enabled through PayPal’s partnership with Paxos Trust Company, a regulated provider of cryptocurrency products and services.

CNBC reported on today’s news, noting that Klarna’s CEO, while a believer in the promise of digital currencies, is “nervous that a lot of people will come late into the party and lose a lot of money.”

Be sure to read all the terms and conditions of the service for details and restrictions; the Venmo Cryptocurrency Terms and Conditions page starts off: “BEFORE YOU START: BUYING AND SELLING CRYPTO ASSETS IS INHERENTLY RISKY.”

Another caveat: the Venmo FAQs page states, “You will need to report gains or losses from the sale of crypto on your taxes.” The IRS states: “Virtual currency transactions are taxable by law just like transactions in any other property. Taxpayers transacting in virtual currency may have to report those transactions on their tax returns.” Read more on the IRS.gov website.

PayPal said Crypto on Venmo is starting to roll out today and will be available for all customers directly in the Venmo app within the next few weeks, here’s a link to the full announcement.

Ina Steiner on EmailIna Steiner on LinkedinIna Steiner on Twitter
Ina Steiner
Ina Steiner
Ina Steiner is co-founder and Editor of EcommerceBytes and has been reporting on ecommerce since 1999. She's a widely cited authority on marketplace selling and is author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). Her blog was featured in the book, "Blogging Heroes" (Wiley 2008). She is a member of the Online News Association (Sep 2005 - present) and Investigative Reporters and Editors (Mar 2006 - present). Follow her on Twitter at @ecommercebytes and send news tips to ina@ecommercebytes.com. See disclosure at EcommerceBytes.com/disclosure/.

Written by 

Ina Steiner is co-founder and Editor of EcommerceBytes and has been reporting on ecommerce since 1999. She's a widely cited authority on marketplace selling and is author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). Her blog was featured in the book, "Blogging Heroes" (Wiley 2008). She is a member of the Online News Association (Sep 2005 - present) and Investigative Reporters and Editors (Mar 2006 - present). Follow her on Twitter at @ecommercebytes and send news tips to ina@ecommercebytes.com. See disclosure at EcommerceBytes.com/disclosure/.

Visit Website

One thought on “Risky Business: PayPal App Lets People Buy Cryptocurrencies”

  1. Customers using crypto on Venmo can choose from four types of cryptocurrency: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash. When they make transactions,
    ^^
    Uber just cancelled Venmo as a payment method because it can be used anonymously. A lot of UBER drivers getting carjacked and killed (in Chicago). So Uber wants passengers to a) upload their image and State ID; b) banned Venmo and gift cards as way to pay.
    I envision a lot of Judge Judy type lawsuits flying into the courts.

Comments are closed.