Fundraising Fox

Venmo

San Francisco, US · 6 known investors

Venmo is a digital payment app that enables users to buy, hold, sell, and transfer cryptocurrencies directly within the platform, starting with as little as $1. The service allows peer-to-peer crypto transfers between friends and integration with the Venmo Credit Card for automatic crypto purchases from cash back rewards.

Also known as Venmo

Founders & leadership

IMiqram magdon-ismail
iqram magdon-ismailinFounder

Investors · 6

Company profile

researched Aug 2026

Venmo operates a mobile payments application in the United States that lets users send and receive money with other Venmo users, for example to split bills, everyday necessities and shared activities such as takeout or travel, and to send gift cards from selected brands through an in-app Gift function. Alongside peer-to-peer transfers, the app supports paying businesses and checking out at thousands of connected apps and websites using the Venmo balance or a linked payment method, subject to identity verification for balance-funded purchases.

Venmo also distributes card products. The Venmo Debit Card is a Mastercard issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. with no monthly fee or minimum balance, and the Venmo Credit Card is a Visa issued by Synchrony Bank with no annual fee, up to 3% cash back on eligible purchases and no credit-score impact if an application is declined. A rewards program called Venmo Stash offers up to 5% cash back at selected brands for Venmo Debit Card or Venmo checkout spending, capped at $100 per month and with the top tier requiring $1,500 in qualifying monthly spend, with higher tiers unlocked as monthly spending grows.

The app additionally allows users to buy, track, transfer and sell cryptocurrency starting from $1. Some custody, trading and transfer services are performed for Venmo by Paxos Trust Company, LLC, and PayPal USD (PYUSD) is issued by Paxos rather than Venmo. Venmo states it is not a bank, does not take deposits and is not FDIC insured, and that crypto holdings are not deposits and are not eligible for pass-through FDIC insurance.

Business model

Venmo provides consumer payment accounts and cards, merchant and in-app checkout acceptance, a cash-back rewards program, and crypto trading services delivered through its mobile app, with card issuance handled by partner banks and crypto custody and trading by a licensed service provider.

Disclosures on Venmo's site indicate it charges disclosed fees on cryptocurrency purchases and sales and, for currencies other than PYUSD, earns a spread embedded in the exchange rate on each crypto purchase and sale.

Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, risks & controversies

Market position

Venmo positions itself as a broad consumer payments app spanning peer-to-peer transfers, card spending, online checkout and crypto, with acceptance across thousands of apps and websites.

Technology

A mobile payments application supporting peer-to-peer transfers, card-linked spending, merchant checkout integrations, and buying, tracking, transferring and selling cryptocurrency, with custody, trading and transfer functions for crypto performed by Paxos Trust Company, LLC.

Go-to-market

Distribution is through the consumer Venmo mobile app, co-branded debit and credit card products issued by partner banks, a rewards program, and integration with thousands of third-party apps and websites for checkout.

US-based consumers making peer-to-peer payments and card purchases, and businesses that create a Venmo business profile to engage customers and accept payments.

Geography

Operates in the United States and its territories. Crypto buying, selling, transferring and holding is unavailable in Hawaii and where prohibited by law; Venmo is licensed for virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services.

Risks & controversies

Venmo discloses that buying and selling cryptocurrency carries a number of risks and may result in significant losses, that crypto held in a Venmo account is not a deposit and is not eligible for pass-through FDIC insurance and may lose value, and that cryptocurrency activity is not a regulated activity in many US states and territories.

Compiled by commissioned research from 1 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.

Key figures

latest reported
Minimum crypto purchase amountJan 2025$1
Venmo Credit Card cash back rate (eligible purchases)Jan 2025up to 3%
Venmo Debit Card / Venmo Stash cash back rate at select brandsJan 2025up to 5%, max $100 cash back per month; 5% requires $1,500 qualifying monthly spend

Company-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.

Competitors · 5

by search overlap
Wise6450 shared keywordsWise is a financial platform offering international money transfers, multi-currency accounts, and debit cards with low fees and competitive exchange rates, serving millions of users globally.
Jetlore4902 shared keywordsJetlore was a Palo Alto AI startup that turned unstructured retail product data into structured attributes so merchants could personalise what each shopper saw. Founded by Stanford researchers, it raised from Sierra Ventures, Alsop Louie Partners, Fenox Venture Capital, BRM Capital and Mercury Fund, and PayPal acquired it in 2018.
Wellsfargo2655 shared keywordsWells Fargo provides investment advisory services, wealth management, and retirement planning for individual investors and high-net-worth clients. The company offers digital investment platforms, market insights, and personalized financial guidance through its advisors and digital tools.
Capital One2284 shared keywordsCapital One is a financial services company that offers credit cards, checking and savings accounts, auto financing, and business banking products to consumers and small businesses. The company provides digital banking tools, rewards programs, and credit monitoring services.
Chase2147 shared keywordsA wealth management and investing service (J.P. Morgan Wealth Management via Chase) offering self-directed brokerage accounts with commission-free online trades as well as one-on-one advisor services, financial planning tools, and retirement accounts. It serves individual retail investors ranging from beginners to experienced investors in the United States.

Companies competing with Venmo for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.

Timeline · 3

launches, deals, and filings
Jan 2025
Paxos Trust Company provides crypto custody, trading and transfer services

Some custody, trading and transfer services for cryptocurrency on Venmo are performed by licensed service provider Paxos Trust Company, LLC, which also issues PayPal USD (PYUSD).

source ↗

Jan 2025
Venmo Stash rewards program

Venmo markets Venmo Stash, a tiered rewards program offering up to 5% cash back at select brands for spending with the Venmo Debit Card or Venmo checkout, capped at $100 per month.

source ↗

Jan 2025
Licensed for virtual currency business activity by NYDFS

Venmo states it is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services; crypto services are unavailable in Hawaii and where prohibited by law.

source ↗

Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.

Research sources · 1

primary sources listed

1 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.

Frequently asked questions

What does Venmo do?
Venmo is a US payments app for sending money to friends, paying businesses, card spending, rewards and buying crypto.
Who founded Venmo?
Venmo was founded by iqram magdon-ismail.
Who are Venmo's investors?
Venmo's investors include Accel, Founder Collective, Greycroft, Lerer Hippeau, Slow Ventures, RRE Ventures.
Where is Venmo headquartered?
Venmo is headquartered in San Francisco, US.