Key Takeaways
- • PayPal announced Bitcoin buying, holding, and selling on October 21, 2020; since then PYPL shares have fallen 72%, from $203 to $57, according to Finbold.
- • Bitcoin over the same six-year period gained approximately 533%, rising from $13,180 to $83,440.
- • A $1,000 investment in PayPal would now be worth about $280, a loss of $719.21, while the same stake in Bitcoin would be worth about $6,330, a gain of $5,330, roughly 22.5 times the PayPal position.
- • Year to date in 2026, PayPal was down 1.72% while Bitcoin had fallen 7.74%, leaving PayPal ahead by 6.02 percentage points.
- • Both assets experienced sharp declines in February and June 2026 before recovering through the summer, with Bitcoin reaching a July low near $58,560.
Summary
Finbold compares the long-term performance of PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL) and Bitcoin six years after PayPal began supporting Bitcoin buying, holding, and selling on October 21, 2020. Over that period PayPal shares fell 72%, from $203 to $57, while Bitcoin climbed roughly 533%, from $13,180 to $83,440. Finbold calculates that a $1,000 investment in PayPal would now be worth about $280, a loss of $719.21, whereas the same amount in Bitcoin would be worth about $6,330, a profit of $5,330. The gap of roughly $6,049 means the Bitcoin position would be about 22.5 times the value of the PayPal position.
The short-term picture is different. According to Finbold, both assets were volatile in 2026, each suffering sharp declines in February and another downturn in June, before recovering as the summer progressed. PayPal rebounded strongly in late July and August, briefly climbing to around $63, above its $59 starting point for the year, before retreating in September. Bitcoin remained under pressure for much of the summer, reaching a low of around $58,560 in July, approximately 35% below its starting level, before recovering sharply toward the end of August.
At the time of writing, PayPal was down 1.72% year to date and Bitcoin was down 7.74%, placing PayPal 6.02 percentage points ahead in 2026. Finbold concludes that PayPal has been more resilient than Bitcoin this year, though both assets have experienced pronounced swings in investor sentiment. The article is framed as a performance comparison and includes promotional material from a crypto exchange sponsor.
The short-term picture is different. According to Finbold, both assets were volatile in 2026, each suffering sharp declines in February and another downturn in June, before recovering as the summer progressed. PayPal rebounded strongly in late July and August, briefly climbing to around $63, above its $59 starting point for the year, before retreating in September. Bitcoin remained under pressure for much of the summer, reaching a low of around $58,560 in July, approximately 35% below its starting level, before recovering sharply toward the end of August.
At the time of writing, PayPal was down 1.72% year to date and Bitcoin was down 7.74%, placing PayPal 6.02 percentage points ahead in 2026. Finbold concludes that PayPal has been more resilient than Bitcoin this year, though both assets have experienced pronounced swings in investor sentiment. The article is framed as a performance comparison and includes promotional material from a crypto exchange sponsor.
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