# PayPal

> `paypal@1.0.0`

PayPal Holdings, Inc. is the global online payments platform that established the modern consumer-payments category. The brand is light-first, trust-leaning, and disciplined: a deep navy-blue wordmark next to the two-tone "PP" monogram on a white canvas. The signature gold "Pay with PayPal" button is one of the most-deployed brand elements in commerce. The voice is direct and consumer-facing — "fast, easy, secure" — built around reliability rather than flourish.


**Tags:** `fintech`, `payments`, `paypal`, `blue`, `light-first`, `consumer`

## Atoms

### Palette

**PayPal** · `paypal@1.0.0` · Proprietary — All Rights Reserved

> PayPal Holdings, Inc. corporate brand palette. PayPal's identity is carried by a tight, signature blue duotone — the deeper PayPal Blue (#003087) and the brighter PayPal Cobalt (#009CDE) — paired across the two-toned "PP" monogram and the wordmark. The brand canvas is light-first with a near-black ink for body text; the secondary PayPal Gold (#FFC439) drives the "Pay with PayPal" button across the merchant web. 

### Fonts

| Role | Font | License | Classification |
|------|------|---------|----------------|
| `heading` | **Inter** `(inter@1.0.0)` | OFL-1.1 | sans-serif |
| `body` | **Inter** `(inter@1.0.0)` | OFL-1.1 | sans-serif |
| `mono` | **JetBrainsMono Nerd Font** `(jetbrainsmono-nerdfont@1.0.0)` | OFL-1.1 | monospace |

## Swatches

| ID | Name | Value |
|----|------|-------|
| `paypal-blue` | PayPal Blue | `#003087` |
| `paypal-cobalt` | PayPal Cobalt | `#009CDE` |
| `paypal-blue-deep` | PayPal Blue Deep | `#001C64` |
| `paypal-gold` | PayPal Gold | `#FFC439` |
| `paypal-gold-hover` | PayPal Gold Hover | `#F2BB30` |
| `paypal-ink` | PayPal Ink | `#2C2E2F` |
| `paypal-graphite` | PayPal Graphite | `#545D68` |
| `paypal-gray` | PayPal Gray | `#9DA3A6` |
| `paypal-white` | PayPal White | `#FFFFFF` |
| `paypal-fog` | PayPal Fog | `#F5F7FA` |
| `paypal-divider` | PayPal Divider | `#CBD2D6` |
| `paypal-canvas-dark` | PayPal Canvas Dark | `#0F1419` |
| `paypal-surface-dark` | PayPal Surface Dark | `#1C232B` |

## Mode role mappings

### Light mode

| Role | Swatch | Hex |
|------|--------|-----|
| `background` | `paypal-white` | `#FFFFFF` |
| `surface` | `paypal-fog` | `#F5F7FA` |
| `surface-elevated` | `paypal-white` | `#FFFFFF` |
| `text-primary` | `paypal-ink` | `#2C2E2F` |
| `text-secondary` | `paypal-graphite` | `#545D68` |
| `text-tertiary` | `paypal-gray` | `#9DA3A6` |
| `primary` | `paypal-blue` | `#003087` |
| `primary-hover` | `paypal-blue-deep` | `#001C64` |
| `accent` | `paypal-cobalt` | `#009CDE` |
| `accent-hover` | `paypal-blue` | `#003087` |
| `warning` | `paypal-gold` | `#FFC439` |
| `warning-hover` | `paypal-gold-hover` | `#F2BB30` |
| `error` | `paypal-blue-deep` | `#001C64` |
| `success` | `paypal-cobalt` | `#009CDE` |

### Dark mode

| Role | Swatch | Hex |
|------|--------|-----|
| `background` | `paypal-canvas-dark` | `#0F1419` |
| `surface` | `paypal-surface-dark` | `#1C232B` |
| `surface-elevated` | `paypal-surface-dark` | `#1C232B` |
| `text-primary` | `paypal-white` | `#FFFFFF` |
| `text-secondary` | `paypal-gray` | `#9DA3A6` |
| `text-tertiary` | `paypal-graphite` | `#545D68` |
| `primary` | `paypal-cobalt` | `#009CDE` |
| `primary-hover` | `paypal-blue` | `#003087` |
| `accent` | `paypal-gold` | `#FFC439` |
| `accent-hover` | `paypal-gold-hover` | `#F2BB30` |
| `warning` | `paypal-gold` | `#FFC439` |
| `warning-hover` | `paypal-gold-hover` | `#F2BB30` |
| `error` | `paypal-blue` | `#003087` |
| `success` | `paypal-cobalt` | `#009CDE` |

## Brand semantic roles

### Colors

| Role | Swatch | Hex |
|------|--------|-----|
| `identity` | `paypal-blue` | `#003087` |
| `on-identity` | `paypal-white` | `#FFFFFF` |
| `primary` | `paypal-blue` | `#003087` |
| `primary-hover` | `paypal-blue-deep` | `#001C64` |
| `accent` | `paypal-cobalt` | `#009CDE` |
| `accent-hover` | `paypal-blue` | `#003087` |
| `mark` | `paypal-blue` | `#003087` |
| `mark-secondary` | `paypal-cobalt` | `#009CDE` |
| `success` | `paypal-cobalt` | `#009CDE` |
| `warning` | `paypal-gold` | `#FFC439` |
| `error` | `paypal-blue-deep` | `#001C64` |
| `text-primary-light` | `paypal-ink` | `#2C2E2F` |
| `text-primary-dark` | `paypal-white` | `#FFFFFF` |
| `text-secondary-light` | `paypal-graphite` | `#545D68` |
| `background-light` | `paypal-white` | `#FFFFFF` |
| `background-dark` | `paypal-canvas-dark` | `#0F1419` |
| `surface-light` | `paypal-fog` | `#F5F7FA` |
| `surface-dark` | `paypal-surface-dark` | `#1C232B` |
| `divider` | `paypal-divider` | `#CBD2D6` |

### Typography

| Role | Font role key |
|------|---------------|
| `display` | `heading` |
| `prose` | `body` |
| `code` | `mono` |

## Rules

### 🛑 error (7)

#### `colorChoice` → `logo.wordmark.fill`

- **allowed:** paypal-blue, paypal-white, paypal-ink
- **forbidden:** paypal-cobalt, paypal-gold, paypal-blue-deep, paypal-gray

> The PayPal wordmark renders only in PayPal Blue (#003087), in reversed white on dark surfaces, or in monochrome ink for print/embossed use. Cobalt is the monogram's front-P, not the wordmark fill; gold is reserved for the merchant button only. 

#### `colorChoice` → `logo.monogram`

- **allowed:** paypal-blue, paypal-cobalt
- **forbidden:** paypal-gold, paypal-blue-deep

> The "PP" monogram is a duotone composition: PayPal Blue back-P paired with PayPal Cobalt front-P. Single-color or off-brand variants violate the published mark. 

#### `forbiddenTreatment` → `logo`

- **treatments:** stretched, rotated, recolored, drop-shadow, on-busy-photo, inverted-without-variant

> PayPal's brand-center program forbids modifying the marks. Apply only PayPal-approved variants with the documented clearspace. 

#### `contrastRatio` → `text-primary`

- **against:** `background`
- **minRatio:** `4.5`
- **standard:** `WCAG-AA`

> PayPal Ink (#2C2E2F) on PayPal White (#FFFFFF) gives ~13:1 — well above WCAG 2.1 Level AA. This rule guards the floor for any new foreground/background pairing. 

#### `contrastRatio` → `roles.colors.primary`

- **against:** `background`
- **minRatio:** `4.5`
- **standard:** `WCAG-AA`

> PayPal Blue (#003087) on white reaches ~13:1 — well above AA. The deep navy carries primary actions cleanly; this rule guards link usage so future palette additions cannot regress. 

#### `contextRestriction` → `roles.colors.warning`

- **forbiddenContexts:** body-text, secondary-link, error-state

> PayPal Gold (#FFC439) is reserved for the merchant "Pay with PayPal" button per PayPal's button-style spec. Using it as body color, link color, or for error states conflicts with its established merchant-button semantics. 

#### `accessibilityRequirement` → `*`

- **standard:** `WCAG-AA`
- **criterion:** `1.4.3`

> WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.4.3 (Contrast Minimum) — Level AA. Fintech surfaces have an elevated trust requirement; AA is the floor on any new role pairing. 

### ⚠️ warning (1)

#### `enumMembership` → `typography.heading.fontWeight`

- **allowed:** 500, 600, 700

> PayPal Sans headlines on paypal.com and Brand Center surfaces sit in the Medium (500), Semibold (600), and Bold (700) band. Lighter cuts compromise the confident, trust-leaning voice; heavier cuts are outside the documented marketing kit. 

### 💡 recommendation (1)

#### `compositionConstraint` → `roles.colors.primary`

- **pairsWith:** paypal-cobalt, paypal-white, paypal-fog
- **doesNotPairWith:** paypal-gold

> The blue duotone (Blue + Cobalt) pairs cleanly with neutrals. Mixing the brand blue with the merchant gold on the same surface conflicts with the published button-style separation between corporate identity and merchant CTA. 

## Provenance

- **Source:** <https://newsroom.paypal-corp.com/Brand-Center>
- **License:** `Proprietary — All Rights Reserved`
- **Attribution:** PayPal Holdings, Inc. — PayPal, the PayPal wordmark, and the two-tone "PP" monogram are registered trademarks of PayPal Holdings, Inc. The signature blue duotone (#003087 + #009CDE) and the merchant gold (#FFC439) are documented across PayPal's Brand Center press kit. PayPal Sans is the proprietary corporate typeface; Inter is referenced here as the open-source fallback. 
- **Imported:** `2026-05-18`
- **Notes:** PayPal Sans is not publicly distributed. This atom references Inter for both heading and body roles and notes PayPal Sans as the proprietary primary in provenance. The signature gold button ("Pay with PayPal") is a regulated merchant-button color — its use in the wild is governed by PayPal's button-style spec. 

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*Generated by the brand-atoms converter. Source: `paypal@1.0.0` from the encyclopedia.*