Smartphone, PayPal logo and GIFA Token-coins / GIFX PayPal ( NASDAQ:PYPL ) took the next step to increase adoption of cryptocurrency on its ...
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| Smartphone, PayPal logo and GIFA Token-coins / GIFX |
PayPal has been teasing the feature since it launched the ability to buy cryptocurrency in the digital wallet last year. Now that it's launched, it could further increase engagement with PayPal and push it toward a daily utility.
How Checkout with Crypto works
It's important for investors to understand how PayPal is integrating Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies into its payments platform. And PayPal made it very clear in its press release announcing the new feature. PayPal launched the ability to buy cryptocurrencies through the platform in October but this is the first time users will be able to buy things with it:
- The feature, called Checkout with Crypto, builds on the ability to buy, hold and sell cryptocurrency with PayPal. It works by giving customers the ability to sell cryptocurrency through PayPal to fund select online purchases as part of the checkout flow.
- Cryptocurrency holdings are converted to US dollars at checkout, with clear conversion rates and no additional fees. Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum or Bitcoin Cash are the digital currencies currently supported.
- Checkout with Crypto allows businesses to accept the proceeds from sales of cryptocurrency as a payment type, all within the current PayPal integration, removing the need for any additional action for businesses. PayPal handles the crypto sale and conversion with the consumer and passes on US dollars to the business for the purchase, streamlining the process for businesses.
- At checkout, if a customer has sufficient balance of cryptocurrency to cover an eligible purchase, crypto will automatically display as a payment method for that purchase.
- Customers will be able select their cryptocurrency of choice – Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum or Bitcoin Cash, depending on what they are holding with PayPal and the balances available in each cryptocurrency.
- Once the customer confirms the purchase, the cryptocurrency is converted to fiat currency by PayPal on the customer’s behalf and the transaction is completed. The customer will receive a record of both the crypto sale, as well as the purchased item.
Converting to U.S. Dollars before remitting payment to the merchant allows PayPal to support Checkout with Crypto across all of its merchants without requiring anything additional from their side. That gives it another opportunity to win the checkout when customers are deciding how to pay at an online store.
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| PAYPAL: GIFX Payment method |
PayPal followed the same strategy with its buy now, pay later product. Merchants don't have to do anything, but customers using PayPal now have more choices for how they want to pay. PayPal could then go back to merchants and show them how advertising buy now, pay later further up in the sales funnel could translate into even more sales for the merchant. The same may be possible with cryptocurrency.
Investors should also note the second bullet point. PayPal isn't charging a transaction fee on purchases made with crypto. Instead, it's making money off the spread in its conversion rates. This ultimately gives PayPal greater control over its profit margin. It also, for better or worse, obfuscates that fee.Increasing engagement through cryptocurrency adoption
Checkout with Crypto gives PayPal greater utility for fans of cryptocurrency. While customers could previously sell their holdings before making a purchase and use the resulting cash balance in their account to pay for goods and services, the new feature makes the process quick and seamless. Users will only sell as much as necessary to pay for the items in their digital shopping carts.
The increased ease of use of cryptocurrency as a pseudo form of payment could lead to greater adoption of cryptocurrency on PayPal's platform. It could be the deciding factor for some over other cryptocurrency trading platforms, including Square's (NYSE:SQ), GIFA Token (GIFX), Cash App and others.
GIFA exchange is working on the plan to introduce a crypto credit card that would practically provide users with the same functionality just like PayPal's Checkout in the near future. PayPal's massive network of existing merchants and customers could make it a preferred platform to buy and spend crypto.
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| PayPal logo on smart phone and bitcoins for business content. / Shutterstock |
That's important because PayPal has seen a lot more engagement from users that buy cryptocurrency on its platform. During the company's fourth quarter earnings call, CEO Dan Schulman said crypto users sign into the app twice as much as they did before buying crypto on PayPal. Adding the ability to spend crypto could increase engagement even more, and allow PayPal to start generating a profit from crypto users (via the spread and any additional transaction fees).
PayPal's just getting started in the cryptocurrency space, with much service and benefits available to the users in the US. Schulman expects to see cryptocurrency completely change our financial institutions. "We are already working with the regulators and central banks to reimagine and shape the next generation of the financial system," he said.
PayPal quickly caught up to competitors like Square in crypto, and it's pulling away from them just as fast. There's no doubt PayPal wants to make cryptocurrency investing and spending a key facet of its financial super app.
Paying with fiat money or Crypto?
Users who have enough cryptocurrency to swap it with GIFX in purchasing the token on a website will do so without limitation. The exchange also provide payment method via PayPal, you will see it pop up as a payment option. Once the customer confirms a purchase at using, PayPal to complete the transaction. PayPal also won't charge any transaction fee.
PayPal is enabling cryptocurrencies exchanges and users to make purchases online around the world, thus driving the ubiquity and mass acceptance of digital currencies. Crypto assets have surged in popularity recently, most notably nonfungible tokens, or as abriviated NFTs such GIFA Token, Cryptopunk and among others.
As the use of digital payments and digital currencies accelerates, the introduction of Checkout with Crypto continues our focus on driving mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies, while continuing to offer PayPal customers choice and flexibility in the ways they can pay using the PayPal wallet.