Germany's cartel office regulator said on Monday it had initiated proceedings against payment company PayPal Europe over the possibility that it hindered competition. The subject of the proceedings was PayPal's rules for extra charges and the presentation of PayPal in the terms of use for Germany, the watchdog said. PayPal did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The regulator is investigating in particular rules that say merchants may not offer their goods and services at a lower price to customers who choose a cheaper payment method than PayPal.

“Users of the popular MetaMask Web3 wallet will soon be able to buy the second-most-popular cryptocurrency, Ether, via PayPal. Similar to PayPal’s checkout feature at online stores like Etsy and eBay, the integration with ConsenSys’s MetaMask will let users buy and transfer Ether by logging in into MetaMask, tapping the “buy” button, and logging into PayPal before making a purchase. The company said in a statement that select U.S.-based MetaMask customers will be able to use PayPal to buy Ether as of Wednesday, and that the feature will be rolled out to all U.S. users in the coming weeks. A crypto wallet like MetaMask is often the starting point for interacting with Web3 applications like play-to-earn games and some metaverse platforms. Adding PayPal to MetaMask could broaden the customer base for some of these applications by removing the complexity from buying crypto.”

“Today, PayPal announced it is adding passkeys as an easy and secure log in method for PayPal accounts. Passkeys are a new industry standard created by the FIDO Alliance and the World Wide Web Consortium that replace passwords with cryptographic key pairs, offering customers a simple and secure way to log in to PayPal based on technology that is resistant to phishing and designed so that there is no shared passkey data between platforms. The new PayPal log in option will first be available to iPhone, iPad, or Mac users on PayPal.com and will expand to additional platforms as those platforms add support for passkeys. A founding member of the FIDO Alliance, PayPal is one of the first financial services companies to make passkeys widely available to its users. This cutting-edge security standard is significant as passkeys address one of the biggest security problems on the web, which is the weakness of password authentication. Over 2.6 billion records were hacked in 2017 and of these hacks, 81% are estimated to have been caused by password stealing and guessing1. Many consumers recycle passwords across online services, which can not only be cumbersome but can also lead consumers to reuse the same, potentially vulnerable passwords across services. Passkeys are designed to replace passwords for an even more seamless and secure login experience with PayPal.”

“PayPal announced the introduction of PayPal Rewards, a new unified rewards program that gives customers an easy way to shop, earn, track, save, and redeem rewards and offers all in one place – their PayPal app. PayPal Rewards connects PayPal’s merchant offers, cash back savings, and shopping products into one experience. As consumers continue to navigate high prices heading into the holiday shopping season, deals, discounts, and cash back remain top priorities, with 25% of consumers stating loyalty programs are the most important factor when deciding where to shop1.”

“The news: PayPal rolled out the PayPal Zettle Terminal in the US after an EU launch last year, per a press release. PayPal already offers Zettle’s card reader solution in the US. Terminal is an all-in-one point-of-sale (POS) solution for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs); It lets SMBs track stock levels and manage sales, reporting, and payments all in one place; The device’s mobility––from its handheld design to its ability to accept payments via a cellular connection––sets it up to attract small and micro-businesses, especially those like vendors at a farmers market without permanent storefronts. The opportunity: Amid a fintech downturn and other market turmoil, PayPal is focused on recentering the company back to its core business. Its three-pronged growth strategy targets its digital wallet, Braintree, and checkout, which bringing Terminal to the US can support.”

“PayPal Holdings, Inc. today announced the rollout of the PayPal Zettle Terminal to small businesses in the U.S. following its launch in European markets last year. Terminal is an all-in-one point-of-sale solution that offers increased mobility in-store for small businesses. With its sleek design, Terminal is ready to go right out of the box, with no need for a second device to pair it with. Featuring a touchscreen, this digital in-store solution is easy to set up and use, offering small businesses simplicity, speed, and mobility.Terminal comes with a pre-loaded SIM card, and its combined Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity means that small businesses are no longer dependent on fixed checkout points, making the checkout completely mobile. The seller is free to complete the entire checkout process, from start to finish, wherever the customer is – on the shop floor, by the table, on the terrace, at the point of delivery, or anywhere where there’s mobile coverage. Terminal can also include an integrated barcode scanner and can be attached to a dock that has a built-in printer for on-the-spot receipt printing.”