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title: Can You Create a PayPal Account Without a Physical SIM Card?

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## If you asked me that question a few years ago - I probably would've said no. 

Like many people building tech products or digital services, I assumed that registering a PayPal account without a mobile SIM card just wasn’t possible. But the truth is, not only can you create a PayPal account without a physical SIM card, you might actually be better off that way - especially if you’re running remote teams, working globally, or simply value control over your business infrastructure.
When we scaled our startup beyond New Zealand and into regions like Southeast Asia and the Baltics, we ran into a familiar obstacle: verifying new PayPal accounts in countries where we didn’t have local phone numbers. And frankly, I didn’t want my team using personal numbers for anything tied to financial infrastructure. That’s when I started experimenting with the idea of using a virtual phone number for PayPal https://didvirtualnumbers.com/en/virtual-number-for-paypal/ - and it changed everything.
Let me walk you through why this is not only possible, but practical - and how you can do it without cutting corners or violating terms of service.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/H16Y_464Zl.png)
## Why PayPal Needs a Phone Number - And Where the Problem Starts
PayPal requires a valid mobile number for two main reasons: security and identity verification. They use it to send confirmation codes, recover accounts, and monitor for suspicious behavior. Makes sense.
But here’s where it gets tricky. If you’re creating an account in a new region - maybe to run local ads, test a payment flow, or onboard a freelancer - you probably don’t have a local SIM card on hand. And even if you do, do you really want to tie it to that account forever?
That’s exactly the question I asked myself. It didn’t take long before I realized that the traditional method - insert SIM, wait for SMS, hope for reception - was outdated. I needed a better solution. So I started exploring virtual numbers for PayPal verification, and it became clear that we weren’t alone in this challenge. Thousands of businesses are solving it the same way.
## What Is a Virtual Number and How Does It Work with PayPal?
A virtual number is just what it sounds like - a phone number that lives in the cloud. It isn’t tied to a physical SIM or device, but it can receive SMS and voice calls like any normal number. When you’re signing up for PayPal, the only thing they care about is whether the number works. It doesn’t need to come from a telco in your pocket.
In our case, we use a centralized dashboard where we can manage dozens of virtual phone numbers for PayPal verification across different countries. We simply assign a number to a new account, receive the SMS verification code, and complete the process. No SIM cards, no device juggling, no issues.
This has been particularly useful when we need a temporary phone number for PayPal during short-term campaigns or product launches. Instead of relying on a personal number that could one day be unreachable, we create a temp number, verify the account, and monitor it centrally. It adds clarity and control to a system that usually feels chaotic.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/SyI3_EaV-e.png)
## Use Cases: When Does It Make Sense to Go SIM-Free?
Once we understood how virtual numbers actually work, the next step was identifying when they truly make sense. Not every scenario requires a full setup, but there are clear moments where a physical SIM becomes more of a liability than a solution. Over time, patterns started to emerge in our workflow. These are the situations where switching to a virtual number for PayPal delivered immediate value:
Rapid regional launches - Instead of waiting to source a local SIM card, we spun up a number instantly and launched payment tests within the hour.


Freelancer onboarding - Giving contractors access to PayPal without tying it to their personal mobile number made handoffs and account transfers smoother.


Customer service sandboxing - Our support team uses temp phone numbers for PayPal to simulate user issues and troubleshoot flows - all without risking live accounts.


Security hardening - With centralized virtual numbers, no one person becomes a single point of failure.
Each of these use cases helped us build more stable, secure processes. Instead of relying on personal devices, we rely on infrastructure. That shift matters more than most people think - especially when scaling remotely.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/B1BWt46VWg.png)
## Are Virtual Numbers “Fake”? And Will PayPal Block Them?
This is the question I hear most from founders, and it’s a fair one. The wording alone - “virtual” - often raises red flags. People immediately associate it with shortcuts or risky behavior. But the reality is more nuanced.
Let’s clear this up: a fake phone number for PayPal usually means one that’s inactive, blacklisted, or already flagged due to abuse. A virtual number for PayPal verification, on the other hand, is a legitimate number issued by a telecom provider - just without a physical SIM.
In fact, many virtual number services are fully compliant with global telecom standards and work seamlessly with PayPal’s systems. The key is choosing a provider that explicitly supports mobile number for PayPal verification and doesn’t aggressively recycle numbers. Once we filtered for quality providers, our verification success rate stabilized almost immediately.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/B10MY4TN-x.png)
## Benefits of Using a Virtual Number Instead of a SIM
At first, we adopted virtual numbers out of necessity. But over time, the advantages became obvious - and not just from a technical perspective. The operational and psychological benefits were just as important. Here’s what stood out most after months of real-world use:
Flexibility: Assign numbers to accounts across any region without shipping physical devices.


Speed: Onboard in minutes, not days.


Control: Manage everything from one interface - no asking around “who has the code?”


Security: If a device is lost or stolen, your PayPal account stays protected.


Scalability: Create, remove, or replace numbers as your business evolves.
These aren’t just conveniences. They directly reduce friction inside the team. When people don’t worry about losing access or exposing personal data, they work more confidently and independently.
![image](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/SyFVF4TVbx.png)
## Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even though using a virtual number for PayPal is straightforward, it’s not foolproof. Most problems don’t come from PayPal itself, but from rushed decisions or low-quality providers. We’ve made these mistakes early on - so you don’t have to.
Using free or overly cheap temp numbers that are already blacklisted.


Linking multiple PayPal accounts to the same temp number for PayPal.


Assuming any virtual number will work without testing SMS delivery.
A short test before committing a number can save hours later. Treat the phone layer with the same respect as your payment logic or authentication flow. Small details here have outsized consequences.
It’s Not Just Possible - It’s the Smarter Choice
So, can you create a PayPal account without a physical SIM card? Yes - and in many cases, it’s the more future-proof option.
Using a virtual phone number for PayPal verification isn’t about bypassing rules. It’s about designing systems that reflect how modern, distributed teams actually work. Once we made this shift, our payment infrastructure stopped being fragile - and started being intentional.
If you’re still relying on physical SIMs, try starting with just one temporary phone number for PayPal. You’ll quickly see how much unnecessary complexity it removes. And once that happens, going back feels almost impossible.
