PayPal’s recently announced stablecoin, PayPal USD (PYUSD), paves the way for broader crypto adoption in traditional finance. Developed on the Ethereum (ERC-20) network and issued by Paxos Trust Co., PYUSD is backed by U.S. dollar deposits, short-term Treasury securities, and similar cash equivalents.
PayPal’s move positions the company as a major potential force in the crypto payment space. PYUSD is primarily to be used for remittances and as a payment option for PayPal’s vast merchant base. It is currently being rolled out to selected customers in the United States and is expected to become available on Venmo soon.
Significantly, PayPal’s entry into the stablecoin market brings a whole new level of legitimacy to the sector. With a reported stablecoin market capitalisation of $125 billion, the sector has hitherto been dominated by Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC). The launch of PYUSD has been received positively by market leaders, who anticipate healthy competition and greater user choice.
Despite the excitement, concerns about PYUSD’s centralized structure have surfaced. Some within the crypto community criticize the fact that PYUSD’s operating model allows for the pausing of transfers, the freezing of addresses, and the increasing of the stablecoin’s total supply. However, these mechanisms are common among many leading stablecoins, including Tether and USD Coin, which use similar features to freeze the funds of scammers and hackers. Crypto critics argue that such centralization misses the point of blockchain technology.
Proponents argue that such centralized features are necessary for regulatory compliance. Indeed, PayPal’s entry into the stablecoin market could push forward more defined regulations for cryptocurrencies in the United States, where current policies are perceived as outdated and unclear.
The stablecoin market itself has faced regulatory scrutiny, particularly with USD Coin and Circle, its issuer. The unclear legal status of stablecoins in the U.S. has intensified since the banking crisis, which has seen USD Coin’s market cap fall from a high of $56 billion to its current position around $26 billion.
PayPal’s longstanding history of regulatory compliance and widespread user trust could be a game changer for the stablecoin market. This new stablecoin might actually accelerate the use of such tokens, help to consolidate crypto payments and traditional finance, and foster further adoption of blockchain technologies. The launch of PYUSD is yet more evidence of legacy financial giants’ growing interest in the crypto space, and it could signal a brighter, more regulated future for digital assets.
Source: Cointelegraph
