The Ultimate Guide to Buy Now Pay Later
A curated Asian edition of TechDay news, analysis, interviews, reviews, job moves, and related resources for Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL).
What to know about Buy Now Pay Later
Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) is a payment method that allows consumers to purchase goods and services immediately while spreading the cost over time through instalments. This option is increasingly popular worldwide, driven by its convenience and flexibility, particularly among younger shoppers like Gen Z who are turning away from traditional credit cards.
The BNPL landscape is rapidly evolving with new partnerships, market expansions, and regulatory changes shaping its use. Readers can explore stories on how companies like Afterpay, Klarna, and Zip are growing BNPL services across different regions, how merchants are integrating these options to boost sales, and the impact of new rules starting in 2025 that aim to offer consumer protections while also creating questions about credit reporting and borrowing effects.
BNPL also intersects with wider trends in digital payments and fintech, including the rise of embedded finance, digital wallets, and new B2B payment platforms. However, readers should also be aware of potential risks highlighted in recent reports, such as the financial strain on vulnerable consumers and challenges with fraud and policy abuse. By following this tag, readers gain insights into the opportunities and challenges of BNPL and how it is reshaping modern retail and consumer finance.
Asian Buy Now Pay Later News
Regional stories with direct local relevance
Most shoppers in emerging markets reject global checkout
Local payment options and currency are now a make-or-break factor for online sales in seven emerging markets, dLocal's survey found.
Grab to buy 60% of Atome Financial for USD $1.49bn
Consumer lending across Southeast Asia will expand for Grab, which is funding a controlling stake in Atome Financial entirely from existing cash.
Hong Kong digital wallets overtake cards in payments
Shoppers in Hong Kong are using digital wallets more than cards, as account-to-account payments gain ground and cashless habits spread across Asia.
Alternative Airlines adds BNPL flight payments via dLocal
Travellers in Colombia and Brazil can now split flight costs over time as the online booking platform taps local instalment providers.
Bettr & Muslim Pro launch Umrah finance in Malaysia
Malaysian pilgrims can now spread Umrah costs over 12 to 24 months through a new Shariah-compliant financing option in Muslim Pro.
TBC Uzbekistan wins four Euromoney awards for excellence
Broadening its appeal beyond consumer banking, the lender has surpassed 6 million monthly users as digital adoption accelerates in Uzbekistan.
Expert Columns
Recent Buy Now Pay Later News
Zip sees stronger spend on bills & household costs
Cost-of-living pressures pushed more Australians to use Zip for bills, insurance and home maintenance, lifting spend per customer 15.4%.
TBC Bank Uzbekistan expands Salom card with UZCARD
The move gives Uzbek customers another domestic payment option, with up to one million new cards set to offer ATTO transport discounts and cashback.
AsiaPay launches tokenisation service for Asia-Pacific
Merchants across 12 Asian markets can now use a single interface to cut checkout friction and fraud exposure on card payments.
Appcharge study finds local acquiring lifts gaming payments
Local banks approved in-country gaming payments 8.4 percentage points more often than cross-border routes, Appcharge said.
Credolab joins FICO Marketplace for behavioural credit
Borrowers with thin credit files could be easier to score as FICO clients gain access to Credolab's behavioural risk and fraud tools.
Yuno raises USD $45 million to expand global payments
The fresh capital will help Yuno widen its payments network, add products and edge closer to profitability as it scales worldwide.
Australian agencies win Shopify Build Award for Lioness
The win highlights how a wholesale-first fashion brand has turned online sales into a global growth engine, shipping to 95 countries.
Digital wallets top online payments in New Zealand
New figures show shoppers are increasingly choosing digital wallets and BNPL, even as cards still dominate spending across New Zealand.
Qashier raises USD $6.125 million & turns profitable
Investors are backing Qashier's growth as the Singapore payments firm says it has turned profitable and handles USD $1 billion a year.
Friendly fraud drives up merchant costs, report finds
Merchant prices are being pushed higher as friendly fraud and chargeback costs intensify, with more than 83% reporting rises over three years.
Uzbekistan launches Silk Road finance forum in Tashkent
The three-day event is meant to draw investors and regulators as Uzbekistan seeks USD $1 billion in foreign fintech investment by 2030.
Cash still to account for 9% of Australian payments
Digital wallets are gaining ground in Australia, but cash is still expected to account for 9% of point-of-sale value by 2030.
Equipifi raises USD $34 million in Series B funding
The funding will help equipifi expand bank-embedded buy now, pay later services as lenders race to keep instalment spending inside their apps.
Southeast Asia eCommerce set for strong growth by 2029
Digital payments are set to dominate regional online shopping by 2029 as the market races towards USD $289.8 billion, a study says.
PayPal reshuffles into three divisions as executives shift
The payments group has streamlined reporting lines and named new leaders after combining checkout, Venmo, services and crypto into three units.
Payment firms expand into broader merchant services
Merchants could soon get payments, loyalty, lending and checkout tools from one supplier as firms chase fuller control of commerce.
Accor Plus lifts conversion 39% after Endava overhaul
Faster checkout and more local payment options helped the travel loyalty group raise product-page conversions to 9.8% across Asia Pacific.
PayPal brings payment links to Canva's 265 million
Creators and small businesses can now take payments inside Canva, reaching its 265 million users through PayPal-hosted checkout links and QR codes.
Klarna tops 1 million merchants as leisure spend surges
Klarna has topped 1 million merchants worldwide as it accelerates into everyday and leisure spending, led by sport, hobby and wellness.
G2A adds Klarna to offer flexible payments for gamers
G2A adds Klarna at checkout, letting European gamers split or delay payments on over 90,000 digital titles and in-game purchases.