Having trouble using PayPal to purchase games or content on Steam? If you’ve been getting error messages and unable to complete your transactions, Valve has finally addressed the issue. The problem stems from a sudden withdrawal of support by a bank that previously handled PayPal payments in certain currencies.
Users in affected regions initially reported seeing notifications stating that PayPal was “unavailable” in their location. Reports started appearing online about a month ago, with numerous discussions and posts on platforms like Reddit detailing the problem.
While Valve hadn’t previously offered a detailed explanation, a user has now uncovered an official statement. This message has also been added to Steam’s support section dedicated to purchase-related issues.
Valve explains that “In early July 2025, PayPal informed Valve that their acquiring bank, responsible for processing payments in specific currencies, was immediately ceasing support for all Steam-related transactions.” This disruption impacts Steam purchases made through PayPal in currencies other than EUR, CAD, GBP, JPY, AUD, and USD. Consequently, customers in countries that do not utilize the Euro, British Pound, Japanese Yen, or Canadian/American/Australian Dollars are currently unable to use PayPal to buy content on Steam.
Valve assures users that they “hope to re-enable PayPal as a payment option for these currencies in the future, although a definitive timeline is currently unavailable.” They are also “actively exploring the addition of alternative payment methods on Steam to better serve affected customers.” In the interim, Valve recommends using one of the other available payment methods during checkout. Alternatively, users can consider purchasing and redeeming Steam Wallet codes to add funds to their account.
We have reached out to both Valve and PayPal for further details and comment on this situation.
Currently, it remains unclear if this issue is connected to Valve’s recent policy adjustments concerning adult content on Steam. Valve stated these policy revisions were prompted by pressure from payment processors and financial institutions, including acquiring banks. It’s been alleged that these banks were influenced by advocacy groups (such as Collective Shout) actively campaigning against certain content. However, a direct link remains unconfirmed. Valve has only specified “early July” as the start of the PayPal disruption. The earliest report of the issue on Reddit dates back to July 12th, potentially pre-dating the adult content policy changes and related payment processor concerns by several days.
This announcement should at least alleviate user concerns that the issue is simply a temporary service interruption or scheduled maintenance. Hopefully, Valve will swiftly implement alternative payment solutions for those using affected currencies, allowing them to seamlessly purchase their favorite games and DLC.