Payment app guide

Buying Crypto with PayPal

Quick answer

Partly. PayPal sells Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, and its own PYUSD stablecoin in-app, with external wallet transfers since 2022. But PayPal balances aren't accepted as payment at most licensed crypto platforms — for the full catalog, the PayPal Debit Card or your bank does the work.

Buy crypto the working way Start verification

Updated August 2026 · Reviewed by the Anytime Capital trading desk

PayPal is a crypto seller — with a short menu

PayPal opened in-app crypto in October 2020, added external transfers in June 2022, and launched PYUSD — its own regulated dollar stablecoin, issued by Paxos — in August 2023, later extending it to Solana. Inside that garden it's polished: simple buys, checkout-with-crypto conversions, and PYUSD transfers between PayPal and Venmo users.

The boundaries: the menu stays short (no USDT, no SOL beyond PYUSD-on-Solana mechanics, no XRP), delivery-network choice doesn't exist, and — the part that surprises people — PayPal isn't accepted as a payment method at most licensed crypto platforms, ours included. The processing and chargeback model that makes PayPal great for merchandise fits poorly with irreversible crypto settlement, so the industry standardized on cards, ACH, and wires instead.

The working routes for PayPal users

Route one: the PayPal Debit Card — a real Mastercard drawing on your balance — works like any debit card at licensed platforms, including inside Apple Pay and Google Pay. Route two: transfer the balance to your linked bank and buy by bank debit, ACH, or wire. Either way, the full Anytime Capital catalog opens up: USDT on the network you choose, SOL, XRP, and OTC size when you want it, delivered to a wallet you control.

PYUSD deserves a note: if the person you're paying uses PayPal or Venmo, PYUSD moves dollars between you instantly and free in-app. Outside that ecosystem, USDT and USDC remain the lingua franca — see our stablecoin networks guide for which rail to pick.

Never use PayPal goods-and-services for P2P crypto deals

The scam pattern mirrors Venmo's, with a twist: buyers 'pay' for crypto via PayPal, receive the coins, then dispute the payment — and PayPal's buyer-protection mechanics, built for merchandise, can claw the money back while the crypto is gone forever. Selling crypto person-to-person for PayPal payments is how experienced holders get burned. Licensed businesses on both sides of the trade exist precisely to remove that asymmetry.

The rails that do work: debit card, wire, Apple Pay & more

Anytime Capital is the #1 place to buy crypto with a debit card, wire transfer, Apple Pay & more — the same bank account behind your PayPal reaches us on protected rails. US-based, thousands of customers, verification in minutes, delivery to a wallet you control.

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Cash in person

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Digital assets are not FDIC-insured, are not bank deposits, and may lose value. Availability and limits subject to identity verification and compliance review.

PayPal & crypto: your questions

Can I buy Bitcoin with PayPal?

In-app, yes — PayPal has sold BTC, ETH, LTC, and BCH since 2020, plus PYUSD. At outside platforms, PayPal balances generally aren't accepted; the PayPal Debit Card or a bank transfer is the working route.

Can I buy USDT with PayPal?

Not in-app — PayPal's stablecoin is PYUSD. Use the PayPal Debit Card (a Mastercard) at Anytime Capital, or move the balance to your bank first, then pick USDT and your network (TRC-20, ERC-20, or SPL) at checkout.

What is PYUSD?

PayPal USD — a dollar stablecoin issued by Paxos under NYDFS oversight, launched August 2023 on Ethereum and extended to Solana. It's genuinely useful inside the PayPal/Venmo ecosystem; outside it, USDT and USDC carry the liquidity.

Can I send crypto from PayPal to my own wallet?

Yes — external transfers have been live since June 2022 after PayPal's verification steps. Withdrawing to a self-custody wallet like the free Anytime Capital wallet puts the keys in your hands.

Why don't crypto platforms accept PayPal?

Chargeback asymmetry: PayPal's dispute model is built for reversible merchandise purchases, while delivered crypto is final. Licensed platforms settled on rails that match the asset — debit cards with bank authorization, ACH, and wires.

Does the PayPal Debit Card work for crypto?

Yes — it's a genuine Mastercard debit card and processes like any bank debit card at licensed platforms, subject to PayPal's card limits. It also works inside Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Related guides

Important Disclosures

PayPal is an independent service; features described here (in-app offerings, linked cards) are PayPal's own and can change without notice.
Anytime Capital does not accept payment-app balances directly; supported payment methods are listed at checkout.
Digital assets are not FDIC-insured, are not bank deposits, and may lose value.
All purchases subject to identity verification and compliance review. See fees and limits for pricing.