PayPal announced on Tuesday, March 18, 2026, that its dollar-backed stablecoin PayPal USD (PYUSD) is now available in 70 markets globally — a sweeping expansion from its previous availability in just the United States and United Kingdom, opening the digital currency to millions of new users across four continents.

70 markets now live across Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America. Users in remaining markets are expected to gain access within weeks.

Where PYUSD Is Now Available

The rollout spans countries across four regions. PayPal confirmed availability in the following markets as part of the initial wave:

{[ { region: 'Latin America', flag: '🌎', countries: ['Colombia', 'Costa Rica', 'Dominican Republic', 'Guatemala', 'Honduras', 'Panama', 'Peru'], }, { region: 'Asia-Pacific', flag: '🌏', countries: ['Singapore', '+ additional APAC markets'], }, { region: 'Europe', flag: '🌍', countries: ['Existing UK market extended', '+ European expansion markets'], }, { region: 'North America', flag: '🌐', countries: ['United States (existing)', 'Canada', '+ additional markets'], }, ].map(({ region, flag, countries }) => (

{flag}

{region}

))}

Why the Expansion Matters

PYUSD's global rollout arrives as the stablecoin market undergoes its most significant period of institutional adoption. Traditional payment networks — including Mastercard, which agreed to acquire stablecoin infrastructure provider BVNK for up to $1.8 billion earlier this week — are racing to own the on-chain settlement rails that bridge fiat and digital currencies.

For PayPal, the expansion represents an attempt to leverage its existing global merchant and consumer payment network — over 400 million active accounts — to give PYUSD distribution advantages that purely crypto-native stablecoins like USDC and USDT cannot easily match. Reaching 70 markets simultaneously is a scale move designed to establish PYUSD as the default dollar-denominated stablecoin for PayPal's existing user base before competitors can close the gap.

PYUSD advantage: PayPal's 400M+ active account base gives PYUSD an instant distribution channel that crypto-native stablecoins lack. The 70-market launch is a pre-emptive scale move ahead of the stablecoin market's anticipated regulatory formalization in 2026.

Stablecoin Sector Context

The PYUSD expansion follows a week of significant stablecoin news. Mastercard's BVNK acquisition and the advancement of the U.S. GENIUS Act — a federal licensing framework for stablecoin issuers — have underscored that 2026 is shaping up as the year mainstream finance fully integrates stablecoin rails. Stablecoin transaction volume hit $27.6 trillion in 2025 , surpassing Visa and Mastercard combined.

Where PYUSD Is Now Available

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Why the Expansion Matters

Stablecoin Sector Context

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