Overview

• FICO said its new scoring model launching this autumn will be the first to count BNPL payments and delinquencies toward consumers’ credit scores.
• Affirm and Klarna have started sharing installment data with Experian and TransUnion in the U.S., and Equifax Canada has begun integrating BNPL entries while TransUnion Canada builds its reporting framework.
• A LendingTree survey in April found that 41% of BNPL users paid late at least once in the past year, up from 34% a year earlier, signaling rising repayment challenges.
• The exclusion of BNPL loans from credit reports until now fueled rapid consumer adoption and masked a buildup of short-term installment debt.
• Financial experts warn consumers to budget BNPL purchases, set up autopay or reminders and treat these loans like traditional credit to avoid score damage.