PayPal announced on Wednesday that it has partnered with several global wallet companies to create a new platform called PayPal World. This platform is designed to simplify cross-border commerce by allowing users to make payments using their local wallets and payment systems, making international transactions more seamless.
The launch partners for PayPal World include India’s NPCI International Payments Limited, which operates the widely used mobile payments system UPI (Unified Payment Interface). China’s Tenpay Global, the payment arm of Tencent that runs the Weixin (WeChat) payment ecosystem, is also part of this collaboration, along with PayPal and Venmo. Additionally, PayPal has signed a memorandum of understanding with Mercado Pago, a major fintech company in Latin America that facilitates card and mobile payments, while final arrangements for the partnership are still being finalized.
Through these strategic alliances, PayPal aims to reach more than two billion users worldwide. Alex Chriss, President and CEO of PayPal, emphasized the significance of this initiative by stating that PayPal World is a first-of-its-kind payments ecosystem bringing together some of the largest payment systems and digital wallets on one platform. He acknowledged the complexity of moving money across borders but highlighted that this platform will make the process much easier for nearly two billion consumers and businesses. Chriss expressed confidence that these developments could become a game changer over time.
PayPal World will enable PayPal and Venmo users to send money across the globe, even to recipients who do not have PayPal accounts. For example, travelers in China will be able to use PayPal through the Weixin payment network to pay local businesses directly. Conversely, customers in India shopping on U.S. websites can use PayPal to complete their transactions via their UPI wallets.
The scale of these wallet systems is impressive. Mercado Pago reported a total payment volume of $58.3 billion in the first quarter of 2025 alone. In India, UPI transactions exceeded $238 billion in just the month of June 2025, according to NPCI data. China’s Tenpay is also working on improving remittance frameworks and expanding cross-border peer-to-peer payment options. Wenhui Yang, CEO of Tenpay Global, mentioned that the partnership will allow PayPal and Venmo users to make payments in mainland China by scanning Weixin Pay QR codes, further expanding access for global digital wallets and deepening collaboration with PayPal World on remittances.
PayPal World is expected to launch this fall with its initial partners. The company also announced that starting in 2026, Venmo users will be able to pay for both online and offline shopping from merchants that accept PayPal payments, enhancing the convenience and reach of the platform.
This collaboration marks a significant step forward in simplifying global financial transactions, connecting billions of users across multiple continents, and redefining the future of cross-border commerce.