YouTube has introduced a new option for U.S.-based creators to receive their earnings in PayPal’s PYUSD stablecoin, a move that brings stablecoins further into mainstream tech platforms. The feature was reported by Fortune on Dec. 11, citing May Zabaneh, PayPal’s head of crypto, who confirmed that the feature is already live for eligible creators.
How PYUSD payouts work
According to Fortune, the system operates through PayPal’s payout infrastructure, not YouTube’s direct handling of crypto. Creators using PayPal for their YouTube income can access the YouTube Studio payout dashboard, choose PYUSD in the settings, and have their advertising, membership, and Super Chat earnings sent in the stablecoin.
Funds move within PayPal’s internal network. That process gives creators near-instant access to their stablecoin balances, which they can hold, spend, or convert back to U.S. dollars using PayPal or Venmo.
“The beauty of what we’ve built is that YouTube doesn’t have to touch crypto and so we can help take away that complexity,” Zabaneh told Fortune.
A Google spokesperson confirmed to Fortune that YouTube, owned by Google, has adopted PayPal’s stablecoin payout feature. The company declined to provide further details about timelines for expansion outside the United States.
The background behind PYUSD
PayPal launched PYUSD in August 2023 through Paxos, a regulated blockchain infrastructure company. The stablecoin is fully backed one-to-one by U.S. dollar reserves. Data from CoinGecko show that the token’s market capitalization is around $3.9 billion, ranking it among the six largest stablecoins in circulation.
PayPal has since extended PYUSD’s role across its ecosystem. The company enabled cross-border transfers, merchant payments, and a yield feature through PayPal and Venmo. More recently, it launched PYUSD0, a permissionless version distributed across multiple blockchains through LayerZero, enabling bridge-free transactions across networks such as Aptos, Avalanche, and Tron.
What the new option means for creators
For YouTube creators, the PYUSD payout feature provides practical benefits over traditional settlement methods. Bank transfers can take several days, and international creators sometimes face extra fees or delays. PYUSD payouts clear almost instantly inside PayPal’s network, potentially reducing friction in receiving funds.
Jakob Kronbichler, CEO and co-founder of Clearpool, said that
“Big Tech like YouTube only adopts new payment rails when they're operationally mature and low-friction.” He said that with PayPal's stablecoin setup, platforms and creators can “access the benefits of on-chain settlement without introducing new custody or compliance challenges.”
Vedang Vatsa, founder of Hashtag Web3, called the feature “a practical first step that other companies might look at as they figure out their own approaches to stablecoins.”
Growing regulatory clarity in stablecoin markets
The move takes place in a more defined regulatory environment for digital assets. HodlFM reported that President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law in July, creating a federal framework for stablecoins. The act is viewed as a major turning point for institutional adoption in the sector.
Rohan Kohli, chief risk and compliance officer at Bastion, said that, “this regulatory clarity is the foundation we've been seeking for a thriving, stablecoin-powered financial system.” He added that the framework would help strengthen institutional confidence and competition in the U.S. market.
Industry context for PayPal’s expansion
PayPal’s continued integration of PYUSD aligns with its long-term crypto strategy. The company first enabled buying and selling of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum in 2020. By 2023, it had rolled out its own stablecoin, positioning itself among the few U.S. fintechs offering crypto services under regulatory oversight.
The company’s earlier rollout of PYUSD payouts for merchants built the foundation for YouTube’s creator payments. This integration allows YouTube to expand options without changing its core infrastructure, proving that mainstream platforms can use stablecoins for real-world transactions at scale.
YouTube has not provided timelines for expanding PYUSD payouts internationally, but the integration marks one of the clearest indications that large tech companies are prepared to adopt blockchain-based settlement tools without exposing users to price volatility.
Anastasiia G
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