PayPal described the partnership as part of a push to “expand the ways that Venmo can be used by both consumers and merchants,” citing an uptick in online shopping during the pandemic as a driving force. According to a survey the company produced in October 2020, 65 percent of Venmo users reported increasing their personal “online purchasing behavior” during the previous six months. In response, the app has rolled out features that support this shift, including the ability to pay with QR Codes, which PayPal introduced through its recent partnership with United Airlines. Venmo also rolled out a suite of cryptocurrency services this spring, giving users the ability to buy, sell, and store multiple types of crypto within the app. It also offers a series of educational resources to answer common questions about cryptocurrency.
