Founded in 1998 as Confinity, PayPal Holdings, Inc. is an American multinational financial technology company operating a worldwide online payments system. The platform allows consumers and merchants to send and receive money online for goods, services, or personal transfers in over 200 markets and more than 100 currencies. After its initial IPO in 2002, the company was acquired by eBay, later being spun off into an independent company in 2015. PayPal's mission is to democratize financial services and empower people and businesses to join and thrive in the global economy.