INTERNATIONAL travelers have been warned against certain payment methods, and those who don’t listen could be out of luck.
They may be limited outside of the United States, according to a recent warning from the State Department.
On Thursday, the U.S. Department of State Consular Affairs made a post on its X account stating, “Our consular sections around the world have seen many Americans run into problems accessing money abroad due to relying on apps.
“Some common cash transfer apps in the United States do NOT work abroad,” the department added.
Money transferring apps such as Cash App, Venmo, PayPal, and Zelle are commonly used to make payments in the United States, but the same options are not always available while abroad.
“The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans,” the State Department told USA TODAY.
“Americans should not rely solely on any single payment method when abroad.”
Although some popular money transferring apps can be used overseas, the transactions have limitations — and some have fees.
Cash App can only support international payments between the United States and the United Kingdom.
However, the affiliated Cash App Card works in all but 27 countries with a 3% fee.
Customers who qualify for Cash App Green, by spending or depositing a certain amount each month, can use their card internationally without fees.
PayPal can be used to send money in over 110 countries, as long as you’re willing to pay a 5% fee for international personal transactions, capped at $4.99.
The PayPal debit card is available with a 2.5% international transaction fee and a $2.50 fee on international ATM withdrawals.
Users of Venmo, a subsidiary of PayPal, can send and receive money in 90 countries with no foreign transaction fees, as of this March.
The Venmo debit card can also be used to make payments with no transaction fees on purchases.
However, there is a $2.50 fee on international ATM withdrawals.
In December 2025, PayPal submitted applications to launch PayPal Bank, which could provide savings accounts and loans to consumers if it gets approved.
PayPal Holdings submitted the applications to the Utah Department of Financial Institutions and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in hopes of creating a Utah-charted industrial loan company.
The move came after the company said it provided access to $30 billion in loans and working capital to over 420,000 business globally over the past 12 years.
The company said the new bank would help PayPal “provide business lending solutions more efficiently to small businesses in the U.S., while reducing reliance on third parties and strengthening PayPal’s business.”
Read more about the proposal here.
“We’re making it seamless for Venmo and PayPal users to pay one another without friction or borders. It’s about meeting people where they are and delivering simple, secure ways to move money in the moments that matter most, no matter what your preferred app is,” said Diego Scotti, General Manager, Consumer Group at PayPal, in a press release.
In order to use Zelle, both the sender and recipient must have U.S. bank accounts, according to the website.
The post from the Bureau of Consular Affairs continues, “If you are traveling outside of the United States make sure you have access to a credit or debit card that works internationally (and have a back-up plan!).”
Travelers should check in advance if their cards charge foreign transaction fees and minimize fees when possible to save money.
Regardless of their preferred payment methods, travelers should always carry cash in the local currency in case of emergencies.
In order to avoid high ATM fees targeted at travelers, skip the airport ATMS and head to a local bank.
“Bank ATMs usually do not charge usage fees and are generally more secure, as a thief is less likely to target a cash machine near surveillance cameras,” writes travel expert Rick Steves.
Check out these tips for traveling on a budget.
The IRS also announced a tax change that impacted frequent Venmo and PayPal users.
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