Venmo, PayPal users can now send money to the US government to help pay down $36.7 trillion national debt

The U.S. Treasury Department has expanded its payment options, now allowing Americans to use Venmo and PayPal to make voluntary donations aimed at reducing the nation’s soaring $36.7 trillion public debt.

Individuals interested in contributing can access the feature through the “Gifts to Reduce the Public Debt” page on Pay.gov, as reported by NPR’s Jack Corbett. The move is part of an effort to modernize how the government accepts payments amid growing public anxiety over the size and trajectory of the national debt—which has increased by 87% since 2010, when it stood at $19.59 trillion.

Although the donation program has existed since 1996, it has collected just $67.3 million in total contributions—a drop in the bucket compared to the staggering federal debt.

The Treasury’s decision to incorporate Venmo and PayPal is being met with mixed reactions. While some see it as a creative way to engage the public in addressing fiscal concerns, others question the practical value of symbolic donations toward a debt figure measured in trillions.

"Sending Bitcoin to a burn address might be more efficient," joked Samson Mow, CEO of the Bitcoin technology company JAN3, comparing the futility of individual donations to a digital black hole.

Adding to the discussion is President Donald Trump’s recently passed “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates will add $3.4 trillion to the national debt over the next decade. The legislation sparked a sharp exchange between Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who criticized the measure for effectively raising the debt ceiling by $5 trillion.

Despite the Treasury's encouragement for public participation, critics argue that the gesture is largely symbolic and fails to address the deeper structural issues behind the nation’s mounting fiscal imbalance. The new payment methods may make it easier for concerned citizens to contribute, but the question remains: can donations from individuals make even the slightest dent in a multi-trillion dollar problem?