Google Play Users Can Now Pay With Venmo

Google has added Venmo as a payment option on Google Play, enabling users to bring the digital wallet to the apps, games and digital content on the Google Play, Google said in a Monday (Aug. 10) blog post.

Effective Monday, users can update the way they pay on Google Play by going to their payment methods in the Google Play Store and linking their Venmo account, according to the post.

“Whether you use your Venmo balance or a linked payment method, you’ll have a new way to level up in your favorite games, manage your subscriptions and tip the creators who inspire you,” Google said in the post.

In its own press release about this new integration, Venmo’s parent company, PayPal Holdings, said that customers can now use their Venmo balance, linked bank account, credit or debit cards to pay for apps, games, in-app purchases and subscriptions across Google Play.

Alexis Sowa, general manager of Venmo, said in the release that Google Play powers digital experiences shared by millions of people every day.

“This is another step in making Venmo part of more of the everyday moments where people spend and connect,” Sowa said.

Pete Albers, director, Google Play business development and partnerships, said in the release that the integration connects the Google Play store with a payment platform that is used daily by millions of users and is fast, flexible and trusted.

“This integration is about more than a new way to pay on Google Play,” Albers said. “It’s about making the Play ecosystem even more accessible and user-centric.”

Venmo announced in May that it rebuilt its app from the ground up while continuing to expand the app to become a more comprehensive commerce and financial services ecosystem.

The company said the redesigned Venmo app features a more modern architecture, more personalization around discounts and cash back, and a social layer that lets users share experiences at restaurants and businesses with friends. Venmo said the app would gain additional updates in the months ahead.

Sowa said at the time in a press release that the new app “lays the foundation for something bigger: Venmo becoming the go-to money movement app with products and features we’re building to fulfill a broader set of financial needs.”