How Many People Use PayPal? 20+ PayPal Statistics for 2024

It has now been a quarter-century since PayPal emerged as the main outlet for processing online payments, including peer-to-peer transfers. And while almost every aspect of the online landscape has changed over that time, one fact remains - PayPal is still the number one.

Over 83% of consumers now expect the option to pay bills online, and PayPal statistics show that the fintech company is a key player in fulfilling those expectations. In addition to paying bills, it facilitates peer-to-peer purchases, borrowing, credit agreements, and so much more.

Here’s what you need to know about one of the world’s biggest fintech companies.

The Key PayPal Statistics for 2024 - Editor’s Choice

• Over 431 million active PayPal accounts are used in 2023. 
• PayPal boasts a market share of just over 41% in the online payment processing arena.
• Users over 50 years of age are the fastest-growing demographic of PayPal customers.
• In 2022, the average PayPal user completed 51 transactions using the service.
• Over 16,8 million websites currently list PayPal as one of their accepted payment methods.
• 9% of US children have a PayPal account.

PayPal Usage Numbers

PayPal was one of the first fintech companies to capitalize on the digital revolution toward the end of the 20th century, not least by connecting with eBay (who would later buy the company for $1.5 billion before relinquishing it again) and has continued to thrive in the 21st century. As more and more people turn to online shopping, the company’s rate of growth has been accelerated further still.

As of Q3 2023, there are 431 million active users on PayPal worldwide.

(Statista)

PayPal user numbers show that the figure has grown by over 130 million since Q4 2019. The popularity of PayPal continues, even though the total number of registered accounts worldwide has dropped by 4 million compared to Q4 2022.

PayPal is available to users in 200 countries and territories around the world.

(PayPal)

Furthermore, PayPal handles payments in 25 currencies. The countries that use PayPal payments the most are Germany and Brazil.

PayPal active merchant accounts topped 30 million in 2023.

(PayPal)

PayPal user data indicates that familiarity gained by connecting to a massive network that boasts a rich history can put consumers at ease.

80 million people use PayPal’s One Touch automatic sign-in feature.

(Business of Apps)

The feature allows users to log in without using their email and password, highlighting the service’s commitment to convenience as well as advanced security.

The most recent PayPal statistics show that consumers are 54% more likely to complete an online transaction if the merchant accepts PayPal.

(Ipsos)

A study by Ipsos highlights the importance of establishing trust by offering a familiar payment method such as PayPal, especially in situations when the brand is not a well-known one.

As of 2023, over 78 million users have started using Venmo.

(Business of Apps)

This app, owned by PayPal since 2012, has grown from 3 million users in 2015 to 78 million in 2023. It’s primarily used by families and groups of friends for splitting bills and subscriptions.

In 2022, the average PayPal user completed 51 transactions using the service.

(Business of Apps)

Given that the eCommerce industry has continued to grow since then, millions of users will now complete far more than 40, meaning the average person will now use PayPal on a roughly weekly basis.

PayPal is installed on over two-thirds of all smartphones.

(Cornerstone)

In addition to dominating desktop usage, PayPal facts show that the payment processing app is used on 65% of all smartphones. This easily outweighs the figures for Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other solutions on the market.

PayPal Market Share Statistics

The latest PayPal statistics may indicate that the company’s market share isn’t as big as it was 20 years ago, primarily because so many alternative payment processing channels have since entered the marketplace.

However, the world’s biggest - and widely considered best - solution retains an advantage over the competition.

PayPal boasts a 41% market share of the online payment processing environment in 2023.

(Statista)

Stripe is second on this Statista report from September 2023, accounting for 21% of the market, which represents a 5% growth from the previous report, where PayPal held some 51% of the market share.

PayPal stocks closed at an all-time high of $308.53 on July 23, 2021.

(Macrotrends, Yahoo! Finance)

Latest PayPal stats show that the company continues to grow in size and outperform the other payment processing companies within the fintech arena.

PayPal’s annual revenue hit $28.55 billion by Q2 2023, up from $26.38 billion in 2022.

(Statista)

The annual revenue was just $5.99 billion in 2012, and its growth over the past decade has kept the company at the number one place on the list of biggest and most relevant payment processing outlets. The Q2 2023 revenue growth was 7.06% higher than during the same quarter last year.

Almost one in four online transactions in the US are completed with PayPal.

(Statista) 

A 22% market share of all US-based online transactions highlights the firm’s importance in the daily lives of millions, not least because the volume of online transactions has swelled in recent years.

PayPal is listed as an accepted payment method on over 16.8 million websites.

(Trulypost)

The data shows that 3 out of 4 online merchants accept PayPal as a payment method.

PayPal invested over $3.08 billion in R&D technology and product development in 2023.

(Macrotrends)

PayPal has been spending more and more on research and development over the past decade, but the last twelve months up to June 2023 saw the first decline in spending, with the company R&D spending dropping by 2.9% compared to the same period in 2022.

PayPal’s team counts 29,900 employees.

(Statista)

Most of PayPal’s employees (roughly two-thirds) work in Technology, while a sizable portion (about one-quarter) works in Sales. About 5% are employed in customer care. In 2022, due to the fears of of a new recession, the company laid of some of its staff, which was reported to be 30,900 in 2021.

PayPal User Demographics 

PayPal’s sustained popularity can be attributed to its ability to stay at the forefront of tech advancements to promote convenience and accessibility for an array of audiences.

The user trends relating to who uses PayPal - and, perhaps more importantly, how - are eye-opening. The trends additionally give some insight into the PayPal revenue numbers.

The over-50s demographic is PayPal’s fastest-growing user base segment. 

(Electronic Payments International)

PayPal’s growing popularity with older users can be attributed to several factors. They are more tech-savvy than adults over 50 of 20 years ago, while the tech itself has become more accessible. Consumer habits have also evolved in recent years.

72.2 million millenials in the US use PayPal in 2023.

(PayPal)

The second-highest demographic are Gen Z-ers, with 68.6 active users in 2023.

9% of US children have a PayPal account.

(Statista)

This makes PayPal one of the most commonly held financial instruments by children under the age of 18.

57% of German online shoppers prefer PayPal over alternative digital payment solutions.

(Ecommerce News)

The popularity of PayPal is further highlighted by the fact it has the largest market share in the major European countries, such as the UK and Germany.

Finally, to end this list on a lighter note, here’s one bonus fun fact about PayPal that doesn’t tell us much about the company’s performance metrics and indicators, but we think our readers will appreciate it nonetheless:

PayPal once accidentally credited $92 quadrillion to a man.

(CNN Business)

As far as admin errors go, it’s a big one. For a short time, the man was technically the world’s richest person. Unfortunately for the guy, it didn’t last.

The Takeaway

These PayPal statistics confirm that the payment processing company remains the market leader by a country mile and continues to grow in membership numbers and revenue alike. The company’s accessibility, speed, familiarity, and global presence make it a firm hit with users from all demographics. 

Whether you’re a business owner looking to accept online payments or a consumer hoping to use peer-to-peer and consumer-to-business payments, PayPal is the answer.