PayPal launches stablecoin in crypto push

PAYMENTS compnay PayPal on Monday (Aug 7) launched a US dollar stablecoin in a bid to boost the adoption of digital currencies for payments and transfers.

The stablecoin, known as PayPal USD, is backed by US dollar deposits and short-term US Treasuries, and will be issued by Paxos Trust Co, said the company.

PayPal’s shares rose 1.4 per cent to US$63.66.

Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to be protected from the wild volatility that makes it difficult to use digital assets for payments or as a store of value.

PayPal USD is pegged to the US dollar and will gradually be available to the company’s customers in the United States, the digital payments business said.

Last month, a US congressional committee failed to come to an agreement on a bill to establish a federal regulatory framework for stablecoins.

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Visa had said in 2021 that it will allow the use of the cryptocurrency USD Coin to settle transactions on its payment network. REUTERS