Overview

• Pay.gov now accepts Venmo and PayPal alongside credit card and bank transfer options for voluntary “Gifts to Reduce the Public Debt.”
• The Treasury added these digital payment methods between late February and early March 2025 to modernize civic services.
• Since 1996, the program has collected $67.3 million in donations, with an average of about $120,000 per month since 2020.
• The national debt has climbed past $36.7 trillion and increases by roughly $55,000 every second, far outpacing individual contributions.
• Analysts say the initiative is largely symbolic, reflecting public engagement efforts rather than a substantive fiscal remedy.