May Zabaneh is an American business executive who serves as the Vice President and General Manager of Crypto at PayPal. In this role, she is responsible for leading the product vision, strategy, and roadmaps for the company's crypto and remittances business units, including the development and delivery of customer experiences for products like the PayPal USD (PYUSD) stablecoin. ^{[1] [2] [3]}​

Education

May Zabaneh earned a Bachelor of Science in Commerce from the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University. ^[5]

Career

May Zabaneh has spent the majority of her career at PayPal, where she has held a range of leadership roles across product, professional services, and digital currencies. She joined the company in 2007 and advanced through positions in product marketing and product management before moving into senior leadership roles overseeing customer experience and global professional services. Between 2018 and 2021, she led global professional services teams supporting enterprise clients and partners.

Beginning in 2021, Zabaneh focused on digital currencies and remittances. As Vice President of Product for Digital Currencies and Remittances, and later as Vice President and General Manager of Crypto, she oversaw the development of cryptocurrency-related products and cross-border payment services, including the launch of PayPal’s stablecoin, PYUSD, and expanded crypto functionality within PayPal and Venmo. In February 2026, she was appointed Senior Vice President and General Manager of Crypto. She has also served as a site lead for PayPal’s Austin office and participated in internal mentorship and inclusion initiatives.

Prior to PayPal, Zabaneh worked at Creative Labs from 1999 to 2007 in financial analysis and product marketing roles. ^{[1] [2] [5]}

Media Appearances

On October 20, 2025, Zabaneh appeared on the CoinDesk "Gen C" podcast for an episode titled "PayPal’s Path to On-Chain Payments and Financial Inclusion." Hosted by Sam Ewen, the discussion covered PayPal's strategy for on-chain payments, the role of PYUSD, and the integration of AI in the future of global finance. She also shared insights on the process of championing and scaling new technologies like blockchain within a major payment leader. ^[2]​

In this appearance, Zabaneh discussed her experience in scaling mobile payments and driving blockchain adoption within a major global payment leader.

On November 7, 2025, Zabaneh was a guest on "The Defiant Podcast" in an episode titled "Inside the PYUSD's takeover of PayPal with May Zabaneh, VP Crypto." During the interview, she provided an in-depth look at the strategic reasons behind PayPal launching its own stablecoin. Topics included the specific advantages of stablecoins, the integration of PYUSD into the PayPal and Venmo platforms, its intended role in the DeFi ecosystem, and plans for international expansion. She also explored future trends, including the concept of "agent-driven commerce" powered by AI. ^[3]​

Consensus Miami 2026

Zabaneh is listed as a scheduled speaker for the Consensus Miami 2026 conference, presented by CoinDesk. Her title for the event is listed as "VP and GM of Crypto" at PayPal. ^[1]​