If I live in Canada and purchase an item from Canada, why do I have to pay in American currency?

[nubian_treasures]

If the seller listed the item in US dollars then that is how you pay. You actually do not have to do anything special. Paypal will convert Canadian dollars into US dollars at whatever the exchange rate is when you pay for the item.

[femmefan1946]

The population of the USA is over 314 million. It has the highest average income and the strongest economy in the world.

The population of Canada is 33 million.

But you can ask your seller to bill you through Paypal in Canadian dollars. This may be higher or lower than what you would pay directly through the eBay/Paypal interface.