Welcome to a live recording of the Fintech Takes podcast, coming to you from Money20/20. In this limited series with Marqeta, we’re diving into the aspects of fintech and financial services that we’re most optimistic about heading into 2025.

In episode 3, we tackle one of my favorite topics: Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL). Joining me are Rahul Shah, who leads core product at Marqeta, and Ahmed Siddiqui, who leads product and payments at Branch.

I’ve called the demise of BNPL way too many times—my bad. The twist? BNPL isn’t just surviving; it’s thriving in both low and high-interest environments, proving it’s no ZIRP-era fluke. Younger consumers aren’t treating BNPL as a trend—they see it as standard. And it’s not just for sneakers or makeup anymore—BNPL is expanding to all kinds of purchases.

Why? Millions of Americans still lack access to traditional credit, and BNPL fills that gap. It’s made small-dollar lending possible, scaling micro-transactions in ways we couldn’t have imagined 50 years ago.

Could BNPL push traditional credit to rethink its structure? As BNPL grows, will it promote financial health or push consumers toward overextension? 

Tune in to hear why BNPL isn’t replacing credit but pushing the ecosystem to adapt and innovate. 

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Follow Rahul:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahul-shah-a8415a/

Follow Ahmed:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddiquiahmed/

Follow Alex: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson