- Venmo’s volume growth outpaced Cash App in Q1 2025
- Parent company PayPal focuses on expanding peer-to-peer payments reach
What happened
Venmo, PayPal’s mobile payments app, is seeing a resurgence in popularity, reporting stronger-than-expected growth in total payment volume in early 2025. According to earnings released by PayPal, Venmo saw double-digit growth, driven by increased user engagement, strategic integrations, and broader acceptance by merchants and platforms.
Meanwhile, rival app Cash App—owned by Block (formerly Square)—reported a slower rate of growth and lower-than-expected user activity. While Cash App previously dominated peer-to-peer transactions with features like instant Bitcoin trading and banking tools, the platform is now struggling with churn and increased competition. Analysts point to a less diversified offering and consumer fatigue as reasons for the decline.
Why it’s important
Venmo’s upward trend marks a shift in the competitive dynamics of the mobile payments sector, where user loyalty is fickle and innovation is critical. PayPal has benefited from Venmo’s tighter integration with its broader payments ecosystem and renewed focus on user experience.
The slowdown at Cash App is a signal that features alone no longer guarantee user retention. With both apps targeting similar demographics—primarily younger, mobile-first users—differentiation will come from partnerships, usability, and security. For PayPal, Venmo’s momentum provides an opportunity to strengthen its consumer business, while Block may need to re-evaluate its growth strategy and offerings to remain competitive.
