PayPal and its subsidiary, Venmo, have integrated Ethereum Name Service (ENS) into their online payment services, making cryptocurrency transfers easier.

ENS, an open-source protocol, simplifies Ethereum addresses by replacing them with user-friendly names. Initially available to users in the US, this feature allows sending and receiving cryptocurrency using ENS names.

PayPal, Venmo Partner with ENS Labs for Crypto Payments

With the ENS integration, over 270 million U.S. users will be able to transfer cryptocurrency using simplified blockchain addresses. This eliminates the need for complex wallet addresses, reducing the risk of transaction errors.

Instead of manually entering long alphanumeric wallet addresses or scanning QR codes, users can simply input an ENS name like “username.eth” into payment services like PayPal or Venmo. The system will then automatically retrieve and verify the associated Ethereum wallet address.

“Simply enter your ENS name when sending crypto on PayPal or Venmo, and the platform will automatically resolve it to the correct wallet address. No more copying and pasting long addresses—just seamless, user-friendly transactions,” read the announcement.

Established in 2017, ENS is the result of an Ethereum grant. It has grown steadily over the years to register more than 2 million names on-chain and 4 million off-chain.

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This latest development adds to ENS’s ongoing efforts to improve the usability of its domain names. Earlier in February, ENS collaborated with web domain registrar GoDaddy, following legal challenges, to link ENS names (.eth) to GoDaddy’s traditional domains. This allowed users to connect a .eth domain name directly to an Ethereum wallet address.

In May, ENS Labs took another significant step by migrating to a Layer-2 network. This move lowered gas fees and improved transaction speeds, further simplifying Ethereum address management.

Similarly, PayPal and Venmo have been advancing their cryptocurrency support since 2021. In May, they partnered with MoonPay, allowing US users to make fiat-to-crypto purchases using PayPal for bank transfers, wallets, or debit cards.

PayPal’s launch of its PYUSD stablecoin on Venmo marked another milestone, enabling seamless transfers between the two platforms. BeInCrypto also noted PYUSD’s rapid growth following its expansion to the Solana blockchain in late May.

Read More: 7 Best Crypto Platforms To Buy PayPal Stablecoin (PYUSD)

Meanwhile, ENS is entangled in a patent dispute. In May, it filed a petition with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) against Unstoppable Domains, alleging that the company’s patent infringes on ENS’s open-source technology.

“In 2023 Unstoppable Domains (UD) obtained a patent for technology ENS Labs developed as open-source. Today, we petitioned USPTO to challenge the validity of that patent, and to ensure the web remains a collaborative space,” ENS said in May.

The recent announcement regarding ENS’s integration PayPal and Venmo has positively impacted the token’s price. BeInCrypto data shows ENS is trading at $16.96 as of this writing, up nearly 2% since Wednesday’s session opened.