Giving Tuesday 2025 once again demonstrated that the spirit of generosity remains strong across the U.S. Despite ongoing economic shifts, people continued to rally around the causes they value most. According to GivingTuesday.org, an estimated $4 billion was donated nationwide.

For PayPal, Giving Tuesday underscores how people rely on us to move money safely and seamlessly to help the causes they care about most. This year reaffirmed donors' desire for trusted digital giving platforms, transparent nonprofit connections, and easy ways to make an impact locally and globally.

Communities Drive Meaningful Local and National Impact

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From large metros to smaller cities, communities nationwide showed up in powerful ways:

• New York City maintained its lead as the most charitable hub, supporting 5,200+ charities, the most charities supported of any city.

• Houston saw the strongest growth in both donor volume and dollars donated.

• Washington, D.C. recorded the highest median donation at $52.77.

• Los Angeles donors contributed nearly $1.5 million to 2,000+ organizations.

• Chicago gave just over $1 million to more than 2,200 nonprofits.

• San Diego demonstrated outsized impact, with nearly 3,800 donors supporting 1,600+ charities.

Across PayPal, the median donation remained consistent with last year at $50, signaling steady generosity even in shifting conditions.

Turning Individual Moments of Kindness Into Collective Impact

Giving Tuesday continues to evolve as people find new ways to express generosity-from financial contributions to volunteering and uplifting local institutions. When millions participate, individual acts of kindness add up to transformative impact.

PayPal and PayPal Giving Fund are proud to help turn that momentum into meaningful outcomes by connecting donors to tens of thousands of nonprofits, enabling secure digital giving, and supporting communities in moments of need.

Staying Safe While Donating: Four Key Tips to Avoid Charity Scams

With more people giving during the year-end holidays, scammers often attempt to exploit heightened generosity. PayPal and Venmo work diligently to safeguard donors, and we encourage customers to give through trusted channels like the PayPal app and Venmo Charity Profiles, where nonprofits are vetted.

Here are four essential tips to help protect your donations:

1. Watch for Phishing and Impersonation Attempts
   Scammers may send emails, texts, or social messages pretending to be legitimate charities and pushing you to click links or share personal information.
2. Verify the Charity Before You Give
   Fraudsters often create convincing websites or social accounts that mimic real nonprofits.
3. Be Cautious of High-Pressure Requests
   Legitimate organizations don't rely on scare tactics or urgent emotional pleas.
4. Double-Check Account Names and Spelling
   Scammers may impersonate charities or individuals by creating look-alike usernames.

For more fraud prevention resources, visit the PayPal Security Center.