Overview

• Starting this autumn, FICO’s new scoring model will incorporate BNPL loan performance into consumer credit evaluations.
• BNPL plans typically break purchases into four zero-interest payments over six weeks with little to no upfront credit check.
• A FICO and Affirm study found that consumers with repeated on-time BNPL repayments often saw their scores remain stable or improve.
• Adoption depends on both BNPL providers reporting data to credit bureaus and lenders choosing to use the new model.
• Advocates caution that loan stacking and unclear debt visibility may pose risks for credit-vulnerable borrowers and that small loan amounts alone may not shift scores significantly.