BNPL — short for Buy Now Pay Later — refers to flexible financing options that let customers split payments into scheduled installments. These plans can be interest-free or include a fixed APR. Initially seen as an alternative to credit cards, BNPL exploded in the U.S. market after 2015. Companies like Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal led this first wave. By 2024, more than 50% of U.S. online shoppers had used Buy Now Pay Later services. Total volume is projected to exceed $150 billion in 2025.
Not all Buy Now Pay Later models work the same way. Some rely on a single lender. Others follow a waterfall lending method. Newer technologies use gateways to match users to the best available lender. Each structure serves different business needs. But most trends point toward multi-lender solutions. For merchants, key goals include better approval rates, smoother user experience, and access to subprime consumers. More broadly, consumer financing is evolving fast and now serves as a powerful business lever for both e-commerce and service providers.
This section explores the BNPL ecosystem from every angle: key definitions, business models, technologies, regulation, and buyer behavior. Whether you’re comparing providers or checking integration options, these articles help you decide if Buy Now Pay Later services fit your business. Looking for specific providers? Visit our BNPL Solutions and BNPL Gateway sections.
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