Venmo has announced an expansion that enables its peer-to-peer payment service to connect with PayPal, allowing users to send and receive money with PayPal accounts across more than 90 markets.

The move significantly broadens Venmo’s reach and links it to one of the largest global payment networks.

The integration aims to address fragmentation in peer-to-peer payments, where users are often limited by platform compatibility.

With the update, Venmo users can transfer money domestically and internationally using a recipient’s phone number, without requiring bank details or routing information.

Users can search for a recipient by entering their phone number, after which the app identifies any linked PayPal account, subject to privacy settings.

They can then enter the amount in US dollars, with the app displaying the converted amount in the recipient’s currency before confirming the transfer.

Users can include a note with each payment, and the app shows both sender and recipient the transaction details, including fees and exchange rates, before completion.

The company said the feature maintains Venmo’s existing user experience while extending its functionality to cross-border payments.

For younger users, particularly those who regularly send money internationally, the update allows them to use a familiar app for transactions beyond domestic use.

“Venmo and PayPal have each become a trusted part of how people send and receive money, Venmo as the way friends split, share, and connect over everyday spending, and PayPal pioneering the global standard for cross-border money movement,”

said Diego Scotti, General Manager of PayPal’s Consumer Group.

“By bringing these two ecosystems together, we’re making it seamless for Venmo and PayPal users to pay one another without friction or borders.”

Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by Tech Daily via Unsplash