Latest by Whitney Simpson
Buy-Now-Pay-Later under the regulatory microscope
Growth in the Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) sector is showing no signs of slowing. Square's recent $29 billion acquisition of BNPL behemoth Afterpay being the latest signal that the market is on an upward trajectory. In 2020 alone over 10 million Brits used BNPL to purchase goods online, accounting for nearly 4% of online retail sales. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) found that usage had very nearly quadrupled to account for £2.7 billion of spending in 2020. Such popularity, particularly among Gen-Z and Millennials, spans the globe with American consumers spending an estimated $20 billion to $25 billion in 2020 by way of deferred payments.
Read moreFCA guidance on cancellations and refunds
COVID-19 disruption has caused an unprecedented number of cancellations of trips, holidays, and other events. On 2 April 2021, the temporary guidance which the FCA published in October 2020 setting out its expectations for insurance and card providers, is due to come to an end.
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