Crypto on PayPal: Understanding Total Return & Purchase Price

The information provided by PayPal is not intended to be and should not be construed as tax advice. You should consult your tax adviser regarding which cost-basis method is appropriate for your specific situation.

Total Return
PayPal reflects your crypto balance position with real-time returns based on current market conditions. This is reflected within the Crypto section of your PayPal account.

We calculate Total Return by finding the difference between the original purchase price of your crypto including fees, and the price it’s selling for right now.

What is the purchase price?

Purchase Price refers to the price you originally paid for your crypto, including fees. Entering a purchase price is optional- to show you more precise returns. If left blank, we’ll automatically use the price of the crypto at the time you receive it.

Note that we won't use your manually entered purchase price for tax reporting.