PayPal is not a traditional merchant acquirer, but it does provide payment processing services for merchants.

Unlike a traditional merchant acquirer, which typically requires a merchant to have a merchant account with a bank, PayPal acts as a third-party payment processor that allows merchants to accept payments online. When a customer makes a payment using PayPal, PayPal processes the transaction and transfers the funds to the merchant’s PayPal account.

However, PayPal does offer some merchant services that are similar to those offered by merchant acquirers, such as fraud protection and chargeback management. Additionally, PayPal has partnerships with traditional merchant acquirers and payment processors to offer merchants more payment options and services.