PayPal leader discusses growth and digital payments future
PayPal has spent the last six months consolidating its global payments platform, expanding in-store services, and scaling additional tools while avoiding industry distractions. Jeff Pomeroy, who leads the company’s Payment Services & Crypto division, states the results appear in merchant adoption, deal flow, and a shift toward self-service capabilities.
From launch to self-serve in six months
When Pomeroy last discussed PayPal’s priorities, the focus included a unified global platform, in-store expansion through partnerships like Verifone, and scaling value-added services. He now describes the progress as decisive.
The most visible change involves how merchants use these services. What once required manual setup now operates through self-service portals. Merchants log in, review transaction data, and enable features with minimal effort. Pomeroy notes this transformation has reshaped the business compared to a year ago.
To demonstrate value, PayPal offered network tokenization at no cost in a trial. Hundreds of merchants participated, and nearly all retained the feature after seeing improvements in authorization rates and costs. Pomeroy explained the decision became obvious once merchants observed the benefits.
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Internally, the company streamlined processes to accelerate progress. AI tools now handle routine tasks, allowing teams to concentrate on areas requiring human judgment, such as understanding payment rail behavior. Pomeroy clarified that AI enhances speed but does not replace expertise.
In-store growth and a government deal
PayPal’s expansion into physical retail depends on its partnership with Verifone, which Pomeroy calls central to the strategy. Despite a small team, deals are materializing. A recent highlight includes the company’s first omnichannel government contract, an achievement Pomeroy did not anticipate this early.
The broader goal involves making PayPal seamless in stores as it is online. Pomeroy compared the shift to handling new waters after the digital space became crowded. He emphasized that the company does not aim to replace existing payment methods but to integrate smoothly into new environments.
A unified platform, globally
Platform unification has been particularly rewarding, according to Pomeroy. Australia and Europe now operate on PayPal’s global stack, and more processing moves in-house. By year’s end, he expects every market to run on the same infrastructure.
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The aim extends beyond efficiency to consistency. Merchants maintain a single connection while the underlying systems evolve. This approach aligns with Pomeroy’s expanded role, which now covers enterprise and small-business payments, crypto, and agentic commerce.
The merger of these teams was logical. Pomeroy stated that tools developed for enterprise and small business no longer need separation. Crypto, in particular, is being integrated into the core platform. He views it as essential for settlement, cross-border payments, and payouts.
Pomeroy added that crypto has become part of global financial infrastructure, making its separation impractical. Combining payments and crypto under one division accelerates growth for both.
Pomeroy said the next phase involves ensuring these services reach all merchants, regardless of how they connect.
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Agentic commerce represents another focus. Pomeroy considers it one of the few genuinely new channels to emerge. With AI agents projected to drive significant commerce by the decade’s end, he believes the necessary infrastructure is still under development.
Building the foundation and demonstrating volume will determine success. Pomeroy advised leaders to ignore distractions and concentrate on delivering measurable value. He expressed interest in revisiting PayPal’s progress next year to discuss how its direction becomes clearer.
The company’s North Star continues to sharpen.
