If bitcoin price action is any indication, PayPal’s decision to support BTC transactions is a pretty big deal.
Not only has the BTC price rallied beyond the $12,000 level, but it’s nearing $13,000 and showing no sign of slowing down anytime soon. In yet another tailwind, the development occurred on the same day that UK-based fintech company Mode Global Holdings announced its own bitcoin push.
And while most of the crypto community is ecstatic about a household name like PayPal welcoming bitcoin and seeing their years of loyalty paying off with green shoots of mainstream adoption, there are others who challenge the payments company to go all-in on crypto.
Willy Woo: ‘This Is a Big Deal’
Onchain analyst Willy Woo showcased the user bases of both camps — PayPal and bitcoin. With some help from Glassnode’s “forensics,” Woo was able to estimate that bitcoin boasts more than 187 million HODLers, based on a “clustering of wallets,” compared to PayPal’s 346 million. In case there was any room for doubt, Woo emphasized that “this is a big deal.”Woo added more perspective, saying that “2.4% of the world population are HODLers of bitcoin” and calling it the “early adopters phase.” This PayPal development could have broader implications, with Woo predicting that BTC user adoption will “go exponential” and “decouple stocks…very soon.”User base:
— Willy Woo (@woonomic) October 21, 2020
PayPal 346m+
Bitcoin 187m+
This is a big deal.
Estimating how many HODLers of BTC from on-chain forensics is from the incredible work of @glassnode. pic.twitter.com/QlOkZ9WRJZ
Following the Leader?
On the other side of the spectrum, Twitter account Plan B, who boasts more than 140,000 followers, downplayed the PayPal development, criticizing the company for not allowing users to transfer crypto to other accounts on the payments platform. He equated it to a “nothing burger” and “nothing more than a “central PayPal database.” Others were quick to point out, however, that it’s anything but a nonstarter. Kraken Growth Lead Dan Held said,“Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Hopefully, at a later date, they open it up to be able to withdrawal. They still have to buy Bitcoin. This isn’t fractional reserve.”Blockstream Co-Founder Adam Back pointed out that this is precisely what exchange eToro did, added withdrawals later.
Perhaps the best response so far should go to bitcoin bull and Digital Currency Group CEO Barry Silbert, whose rivalry with gold lives on.It’s great that PayPal is accepting crypto payments, but ehm, crypto and #Bitcoin doesn’t need PayPal.
— Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) October 21, 2020
Incidentally, the gold price added bout 1% on Oct. 21 while bitcoin’s gains exceeded 7%.When is PayPal adding gold?
— Barry Silbert (@BarrySilbert) October 21, 2020
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Gerelyn Terzo
Gerelyn caught wind of bitcoin in mid-2017, and after becoming smitten by the peer-to-peer nature of crypto has never looked back. She has been covering the space ever since. Previously, she wrote about traditional financial services, Wall Street and institutional investing for much of her career. Gerelyn resides in Verona, N.J., just a hop, skip and a jump from New York City.
Gerelyn caught wind of bitcoin in mid-2017, and after becoming smitten by the peer-to-peer nature of crypto has never looked back. She has been covering the space ever since. Previously, she wrote about traditional financial services, Wall Street and institutional investing for much of her career. Gerelyn resides in Verona, N.J., just a hop, skip and a jump from New York City.
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