PayPal Holdings Inc's (NASDAQ:PYPL) comeback story may not be about a new product — but a new generation.
Responding to analyst questions over its third-quarter earnings call, CEO Alex Chriss said the company is aligning itself with how younger consumers are reshaping the very idea of credit.
- PYPL stock is surging in response to earnings beat, here.
‘A Real Shift To Buy Now, Pay Later’
Chriss told investors during PayPal's earnings call that the company sees "three pretty significant generational shifts right now." Among them, he highlighted "a real shift to buy now, pay later again, a younger generation that's now moving the way they're spending."
This trend "can start to take share away from credit cards and be the way that this new generation is going to start to pay,” Chriss says.
That's not just a demographic footnote — it's a strategic pivot.
More consumers use debit-linked and flexible payment options. But PayPal is positioning BNPL to be the company's next major growth engine.
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Positioned To "Win These Markets"
Chriss put PayPal's broader strategy in no uncertain terms: "These are generational shifts that we are well positioned and we must win in." He said the company will "invest appropriately," even if that creates "some near-term headwinds in how fast TM and earnings grow in 26."
The message is clear: PayPal is betting on long-term adoption curves, not short-term margin expansion. Chriss also tied this momentum to PayPal's wider ecosystem — from its "leading wallets such as PayPal and Venmo" to its expansion into "PayPal World, which continues to connect wallets around the world."
Investor Takeaway: A Generational Bet on the Future of Credit
As Chriss wrapped the call, adding that “generational shifts” make it “exciting to be at the forefront and a leader in this space."
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