Venmo, the mobile payments app owned by PayPal, is expanding peer-to-peer transfers to hundreds of millions of PayPal users across 90 countries, allowing people to send money internationally without leaving either app.
The feature lets Venmo users search for a recipient by their full phone number, enter an amount in US dollars, and see the converted sum before confirming, with currency conversion rates and any applicable fees disclosed upfront.
Venmo is waiving its international transfer fee for a limited introductory period, though the company did not specify how long that window will last, and the feature is not available in all PayPal-supported regions.
The move is framed as a response to fragmentation across payment apps, with Venmo citing a commissioned survey of 2,000 Americans that found 49% had downloaded or switched apps to pay someone, and 30% had forgotten to make a payment because they lacked the right platform.
The survey also found that 41% of respondents send money abroad, and that 82% of people sending money across generations said using a single shared app would make the process easier.
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Recipients will see the sender's name, the amount received and any attached payment note, preserving the social layer that distinguishes Venmo from more transactional payment services.
"It's about meeting people where they are and delivering simple, secure ways to move money in the moments that matter most," said Diego Scotti, general manager of the consumer group at PayPal.
The recap
- Venmo connects to PayPal users across 90 markets.
- Access extends to hundreds of millions of PayPal users worldwide.
- Venmo is waiving international fees for a limited time.