PYMNTS-MonitorEdge-May-2024

Today in FinTech Ukraine: PayPal, Charity Partners Raise Over $250M for Relief Efforts; Lyft Offers Round-Up Donations for Ukraine

PayPal Holdings Inc. and its charity partners have raised more than $250 million for organizations supporting relief efforts in Ukraine, the California online payments network company announced.

From the PayPal and Xoom app or on Xoom.com, customers can send money for cash pickup in minutes to Ukraine, or refill prepaid mobile phone plans so family and friends can stay in touch. At checkout, PayPal users can donate $1 to the effort.

Lyft, the ride-sharing company, announced it has expanded its partnership with YMCA’s World Service Campaign, the organization founded to help those who are impacted by the conflict.

The new feature allows riders to round up their fare to the nearest dollar and donate the difference to emergency relief efforts on the ground.

Airbnb’s co-Founders Brian Chesky, Joseph Gebbia, Nathan Blecharczyk and his wife Elizabeth have pledged to match up to $10 million in donations to Airbnb.org through March in support of the effort to offer housing to refugees fleeing Ukraine.

So far, 14,000 people in Europe have signed up to share their home with refugees since this program launched on Feb. 28.

Hayden Brown, president and CEO of Upwork, the San Francisco work marketplace that connects businesses with independent workers, has promised to donate $1 million to Direct Relief International in support of Ukraine.

In addition, a $100,000 matching program for donations from Upwork team members has been launched to aid in humanitarian relief in Ukraine.

PYMNTS-MonitorEdge-May-2024