🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

PayPal overhaul comes after weaker results and tougher competition

• New CEO Enrique Lores took the job to reshape PayPal’s direction after weak financial results and pressure on market share 1.
• PayPal has struggled against Apple Pay and Block’s Cash App, especially in its branded checkout business 2.
• The stock has lagged the market, and PayPal left the S&P 100 index on March 23, 2026 2.
• Inside the company, staff saw a cultural drift and slow product work, especially as Buy Now, Pay Later services grew. Those services let shoppers split purchases into installments 1.

Spinning off Venmo could clarify its worth and hint at more deals

• Turning Venmo into a separate business gives a clearer view of its performance and could set up a sale or partnership later 3.
• Venmo makes money from fees on business payments and instant withdrawals, helping bring in about $1.7 billion in revenue in 2025 4.
• A sale could spark more dealmaking in payments. Stripe, a privately held payments company, has explored buying part or all of PayPal before 3.