Paypal Increased its Crypto Holdings to Almost $1B in Q1

Online payment giant PayPal disclosed that it had increased its holdings of cryptocurrencies to almost $1 billion in its Q1 earnings. 

Paypal Earnings Insight

According to first quarter reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), PayPal claimed a combined total of $943 million in cryptocurrency assets as of March 31, 2023. Remarkably, this was a significant increase from the previous quarter, when PayPal reported that it held around $604 million in cryptocurrencies.

Specifically, PayPal’s crypto holdings comprise $499 million in Bitcoin (up from $291 million in December), $362 million in Ether (up from $250 million), and $82 million in Bitcoin Cash BCH and Litecoin (up from $63 million).

Also, the online platform reported total financial liabilities for the quarter were $1.2 billion, with crypto assets accounting for 77.9%, indicating an increase of more than 10% from the reported Q4 liabilities for 2022.

Notably, the company has been expanding its cryptocurrency offerings since it launched its crypto service in the United States in 2021. The service allows users to buy, hold, and sell cryptocurrencies directly through their PayPal accounts. Meanwhile, it appears that the crypto payments gateway , which owns Venmo, does not actually keep the crypto assets in its possession but rather relies on other parties to provide custodial services. 

Interestingly, the company acknowledges that this poses a liability for customers if third-party processors are unable to execute transactions. However, the SEC filing also states that no such failure has yet occurred.

It is worth noting that the company had faced several oppositions in its quest to dominate the crypto space. For instance, Elon Musk had indicated that he was working on a Twitter payment processor that will be superior to PayPal.

The Significance of PayPal Inc’s Increased Crypto Holdings

PayPal’s expanded cryptocurrency holdings demonstrate the company’s belief in the future of digital currencies. The move also reflects the growing mainstream acceptance of cryptocurrencies, which are increasingly seen as legitimate investment assets by major financial institutions and corporations.

Additionally, PayPal’s growing holdings may benefit the value of the cryptocurrencies it holds. As PayPal continues to buy and retain more cryptocurrencies, the demand for those assets rises, potentially driving up their prices.