Venmo Shifts New User Posts to Friends-Only in 2026 Redesign as Privacy Concerns Linger
Updated
Updated · The Verge · May 11
Venmo Shifts New User Posts to Friends-Only in 2026 Redesign as Privacy Concerns Linger
12 articles · Updated · The Verge · May 11
Venmo will set new users’ payment posts to friends-only by default when its redesigned onboarding launches in the coming weeks with the new feed on iOS and Android.
The change reverses Venmo’s long-standing public default and adds clearer privacy labels on the send-money screen, while still letting users switch posts to public or private.
Alexis Sowa, Venmo’s SVP and GM, said the redesign is meant to give users more control over sharing and rebuild trust after past privacy problems.
A 2021 episode, when reporters traced Joe Biden’s Venmo network through visible contacts, underscored those weaknesses; Venmo later fixed contact privacy.
The broader overhaul—Venmo’s biggest since 2021—also adds Send, Money and Rewards sections as the app pushes beyond bill-splitting into payments, savings, borrowing and investing.
Is Venmo's redesign truly for its users, or is it just 'window-dressing' to prepare for a sale by PayPal?
Can Venmo's new global reach and social features dethrone giants in the massive cross-border payments market?
By blending social media with finance, is Venmo creating a revolutionary experience or a dangerous new frontier for scams?