MoonPay and PayPal have introduced PYUSDx, a new infrastructure platform that allows developers to launch application specific stablecoins backed by PayPal USD.
Key Takeaways
- PYUSDx enables developers to create branded stablecoins backed by PayPal USD.
- The platform reduces launch time from months to days.
- USD.ai is the first project building on PYUSDx.
- MoonPay Digital Assets will issue the tokens, while PYUSD remains issued by Paxos Trust Company.
What Happened?
MoonPay, PayPal, and M0 have unveiled PYUSDx, a framework that allows developers to issue custom stablecoins backed by PayPal USD, also known as PYUSD. The platform combines MoonPay’s issuance and distribution network with M0’s stablecoin infrastructure to simplify the process of launching branded digital tokens.
The companies say the goal is to help developers build application level stablecoins without having to create complex technical and operational systems from scratch.
Introducing PYUSDx, a stablecoin tokenization framework from PayPal, @M0, and MoonPay.
— MoonPay 🟣 (@moonpay) February 27, 2026
🪙 Backed 1:1 by @PayPal USD
⚡️ Go from build to launch in days, not months
🌐 Purpose-built for issuance, distribution, and interoperability
Let’s build together. pic.twitter.com/oLu6KDpopo
A New Layer for Stablecoin Innovation
The stablecoin market is evolving rapidly. According to the companies, the number of stablecoins with supplies exceeding 10 million dollars rose by 89 percent in 2025 alone. This growth has fueled demand for more efficient tools that allow fintech builders and crypto developers to launch tailored digital currencies for specific ecosystems and business models.
PYUSDx is designed to fill that gap. Instead of issuing a stablecoin from the ground up, developers can now create branded tokens backed by PayPal USD, leveraging an established and regulated reserve asset.
Under the structure, PYUSD is issued by Paxos Trust Company, NA, a federally regulated national trust bank. Meanwhile, PYUSDx tokens are issued by MoonPay Digital Assets Limited, which recently received a New York trust charter allowing it to act as an issuer.
It is important to note that PYUSDx tokens are separate from PayPal’s native PYUSD token. They are not PayPal products or services and cannot be stored, sent, or received within PayPal or Venmo accounts.
Faster Launch, Lower Complexity
One of the key selling points of PYUSDx is speed. The platform allows developers to move from testing to launch in a matter of days rather than months.
Ivan Soto Wright, CEO and co founder of MoonPay, said:
M0 plays a central role in the structure by separating reserve management from token issuance. This design allows issuers to delegate reserve management, making it significantly faster to deploy new stablecoins while maintaining built in liquidity and interoperability.
Luca Prosperi, CEO of M0, said:
The platform also offers cross chain compatibility, on chain reserve reporting, and flexible economic models designed to compete with other stablecoin backed products.
Expanding PayPal’s Stablecoin Strategy
Since launching PYUSD in 2023, PayPal has steadily expanded its stablecoin ecosystem. In April 2025, users began earning 3.7 percent annually on PYUSD balances. Later that year, Stellar and Arbitrum were added to increase transaction speed and reduce costs.
May Zabaneh, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Crypto at PayPal, said:
USD.ai has been named as the first developer building on PYUSDx. The project is using the framework to back an application focused stablecoin designed for artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The companies also noted that regulatory treatment of PYUSDx tokens may vary by jurisdiction. Compliance responsibilities will fall on individual issuers. The launch also raises potential questions around how US stablecoin legislation, including the GENIUS Act, could impact where these tokens are permitted to operate.
CoinLaw’s Takeaway
In my view, this is a smart move by MoonPay and PayPal. Instead of competing in a crowded stablecoin market with yet another token, they are offering infrastructure. In my experience covering crypto markets, infrastructure plays often have longer staying power than standalone coins.
I found the separation between reserve management and issuance especially interesting. It lowers barriers for developers while still anchoring new tokens to a regulated foundation like PYUSD. If stablecoins are truly moving toward application level use cases, platforms like PYUSDx could become essential building blocks for the next wave of fintech innovation.
