Buy now, pay later (BNPL) in the UK - statistics & facts

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) services in the United Kingdom are confirmed to receive legislation in 2026, in an attempt to protect consumers. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) estimated the number of BNPL users in the UK to be over 10 million in 2025, even if the market share of BNPL was higher in other countries. Which providers are the main ones adopted by merchants, and what drives UK shoppers to use BNPL?

Biggest "pure play" BNPL provider in the UK, based on downloads: Klarna

MAU (monthly active users) of the Klarna app in the UK: *******

Most popular BNPL product in the UK: Lifestyle and beauty

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Current statistics on this topic

Estimated transaction value of buy now, pay later (BNPL) in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2024, with forecasts for 2025 and 2030 (in million U.S. dollars)

Payments

Annual buy now, pay later (BNPL) spending in the UK in 2024, with a 2030 forecast

Share of respondents who said they used buy now, pay later (BNPL) in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2024, by age, gender, income, and race

Payments

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) use in the UK 2024, by age, gender, income, race

Share of Gen Z consumers worldwide who indicate they use selected types of online payment methods during certain online activities in 2024

Payments

Gen Z use of selected online payment methods worldwide in 2024, by situation

Market size

Most used in-store (POS) payment methods in the UK 2017-2024, with 2030 forecast
Most used in-store (POS) payment methods in the UK 2017-2024, with 2030 forecast
Market share of cash, credit cards, and other payment methods at point of sale (POS) in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2017 to 2024, with a forecast for 2030
Most used e-commerce payment methods in the UK 2016-2024, with 2030 forecast
Most used e-commerce payment methods in the UK 2016-2024, with 2030 forecast
Market share of cash, credit cards, and other payment methods during online shopping in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2016 to 2024, with a forecast for 2030
Annual buy now, pay later (BNPL) spending in the UK in 2024, with a 2030 forecast
Annual buy now, pay later (BNPL) spending in the UK in 2024, with a 2030 forecast
Estimated transaction value of buy now, pay later (BNPL) in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2024, with forecasts for 2025 and 2030 (in million U.S. dollars)
Top 10 countries worldwide based on number of buy now, pay later (BNPL) users 2022
Top 10 countries worldwide based on number of buy now, pay later (BNPL) users 2022
Leading countries in the world with the highest number of buy now, pay later (BNPL) users as of 2022 (in millions)
Biggest buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps in the UK in 2025, based on MAU
Biggest buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps in the UK in 2025, based on MAU
Biggest buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps in the United Kingdom (UK) as of July 2025, by number of monthly active users (MAU)
Biggest buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps in the UK 2015-2025, based on downloads
Biggest buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps in the UK 2015-2025, based on downloads
Biggest buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps in the United Kingdom (UK) from 1st quarter of 2015 to 2nd quarter of 2025, by number of downloads

Merchant adoption

Payment types accepted by all e-commerce vendors in the UK in 2022 and 2024
Payment types accepted by all e-commerce vendors in the UK in 2022 and 2024
Share of companies that accept selected digital payments for all types of e-commerce in the United Kingdom (UK) as of February 2024
Main online shopping payment methods in the UK 2024
Main online shopping payment methods in the UK 2024
Most used payment methods for domestic and international online purchases in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2024
MAU (monthly active users) of BNPL wallet Klarna in 25 countries worldwide 2024-2025
MAU (monthly active users) of BNPL wallet Klarna in 25 countries worldwide 2024-2025
Top 25 countries and territories based on MAU (monthly active users) of the Klarna app from March 2024 to March 2025
Merchants who use Klarna for buy now pay later in 152 countries worldwide 2025
Merchants who use Klarna for buy now pay later in 152 countries worldwide 2025
Number and share of merchants who use Klarna as a buy now pay later (BNPL) solution on their website across various countries in the world as of January 10, 2025
Merchants who use Pay in 4 for buy now, pay later in 33 countries worldwide 2025
Merchants who use Pay in 4 for buy now, pay later in 33 countries worldwide 2025
Number and share of merchants who use PayPal's Pay in 4 as a buy now, pay later (BNPL) solution on their website across various countries in the world as of January 10, 2025
Merchants who use Afterpay for buy now, pay later in 62 countries worldwide 2025
Merchants who use Afterpay for buy now, pay later in 62 countries worldwide 2025
Number and share of merchants who use Afterpay as a buy now, pay later (BNPL) solution on their website across various countries and territories in the world as of January 10, 2025

User demographics

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) user age in the UK 2025
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) user age in the UK 2025
Share of respondents who said they use buy now, pay later (BNPL) methods in the United Kingdom (UK) as of January 2025, by age group
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) use in the UK 2024, by age, gender, income, race
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) use in the UK 2024, by age, gender, income, race
Share of respondents who said they used buy now, pay later (BNPL) in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2024, by age, gender, income, and race
Main reasons for the increased use of BNPL in 7 countries in Europe and NA 2024
Main reasons for the increased use of BNPL in 7 countries in Europe and NA 2024
Main motivation for consumers in selected countries in Europe and North America on why they used buy now, pay later (BNPL) more often in 2024
Reasons cited by consumers why they prefer BNPL in U.S., UK, Australia in 2022
Reasons cited by consumers why they prefer BNPL in U.S., UK, Australia in 2022
Main reasons for respondents why buy now, pay later was a popular payment option for them in the United States, United Kingdom (UK) and Australia in 2022
BNPL use as a payment method for e-commerce worldwide 2024, by age and gender
BNPL use as a payment method for e-commerce worldwide 2024, by age and gender
Share of consumers worldwide who indicate they used buy now, pay later (BNPL) for e-commerce in 2024, by demographic
BNPL use as a payment method for travel worldwide 2024, by age and gender
BNPL use as a payment method for travel worldwide 2024, by age and gender
Share of consumers worldwide who indicate they used buy now, pay later (BNPL) to pay for travel in 2024, by demographic

Product segments

Popular products to buy with BNPL in the UK in 2024
Popular products to buy with BNPL in the UK in 2024
Share of buy now, pay later (BNPL) users who purchased select product types in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2024
Everyday essential expenses to buy with BNPL in the UK in 2024
Everyday essential expenses to buy with BNPL in the UK in 2024
Share of buy now, pay later (BNPL) users who purchased select everyday essential expenses in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2024
BNPL use as a payment method for e-commerce in 7 countries in Europe and NA 2024
BNPL use as a payment method for e-commerce in 7 countries in Europe and NA 2024
Share of consumers in selected countries in Europe and North America who used buy now, pay later (BNPL) to pay for e-commerce in 2024
BNPL use as a payment method for travel in 7 countries in Europe and NA 2024
BNPL use as a payment method for travel in 7 countries in Europe and NA 2024
Share of consumers in selected countries in Europe and North America who used buy now, pay later (BNPL) to pay for travel in 2024
BNPL use as a payment method for crypto in 7 countries in Europe and NA 2024
BNPL use as a payment method for crypto in 7 countries in Europe and NA 2024
Share of consumers in selected countries in Europe and North America who used buy now, pay later (BNPL) to pay for cryptocurrency in 2024
BNPL use as a payment method for gambling in 7 countries in Europe and NA 2024
BNPL use as a payment method for gambling in 7 countries in Europe and NA 2024
Share of consumers in selected countries in Europe and North America who used buy now, pay later (BNPL) to pay for gambling in 2024

Miscellaneous

Forecast for GDP growth, inflation, and unemployment in the UK 2025
Forecast for GDP growth, inflation, and unemployment in the UK 2025
Economic forecast for GDP growth, inflation, and unemployment in the United Kingdom for 2025, by month of forecast
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) monthly debt in the UK 2022, by age group
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) monthly debt in the UK 2022, by age group
Average monthly debt from buy now, pay later (BNPL) services in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2022, by age group (in GBP)
Reasons for missing buy now, pay later (BNPL) payments in the UK 2021
Reasons for missing buy now, pay later (BNPL) payments in the UK 2021
Share of buy now, pay later (BNPL) users who have missed payments in the United Kingdom (UK) in July 2021
Monthly outstanding consumer credit amounts in the UK 2006-2024, by type
Monthly outstanding consumer credit amounts in the UK 2006-2024, by type
Outstanding consumer credit excluding student loans in the United Kingdom (UK) from January 2006 to October 2024, by type of credit (in billion GBP)
Monthly credit card debt in the UK 1993-2025
Monthly credit card debt in the UK 1993-2025
Total credit card debt in the United Kingdom (UK) from March 1993 to June 2025
Monthly credit card APR and Bank of England interest rate in the UK 1995-2025
Monthly credit card APR and Bank of England interest rate in the UK 1995-2025
Credit card APR (annual percentage rates) and Bank of England interest rate in the United Kingdom (UK) from January 1995 to June 2025

Biggest "pure play" BNPL provider in the UK, based on downloads: Klarna

MAU (monthly active users) of the Klarna app in the UK: *******

Most popular BNPL product in the UK: Lifestyle and beauty

Key figures

The most important key figures provide you with a compact summary of the topic of "BNPL (buy now, pay later) in the United Kingdom (UK)" and take you straight to the corresponding statistics.

Klarna share among UK websites with at least one BNPL solution
*****%
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Detailed statistics
Merchants who use Klarna for buy now pay later in 152 countries worldwide 2025
Afterpay share among UK websites with at least one BNPL solution
****%
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Detailed statistics
Merchants who use Afterpay for buy now, pay later in 62 countries worldwide 2025
PayPal Pay in 4 share among UK websites with at least one BNPL solution
****%
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Detailed statistics
Merchants who use Pay in 4 for buy now, pay later in 33 countries worldwide 2025
Sezzle share among UK websites with at least one BNPL solution
****%
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Detailed statistics
Merchants who use Sezzle for buy now, pay later in 27 countries worldwide 2025
Affirm share among UK websites with at least one BNPL solution
****%
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Detailed statistics
Merchants who use Affirm for buy now, pay later in 26 countries worldwide 2025

Share of UK respondents using BNPL for e-commerce
*%
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Detailed statistics
BNPL use as a payment method for e-commerce in 7 countries in Europe and NA 2024
Share of UK respondents using BNPL for buying cryptocurrency
*%
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Detailed statistics
BNPL use as a payment method for crypto in 7 countries in Europe and NA 2024
Share of UK respondents using BNPL for travel
*%
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Detailed statistics
BNPL use as a payment method for travel in 7 countries in Europe and NA 2024
Share of UK respondents using BNPL for hospitality
*%
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Detailed statistics
BNPL use as a payment method for hospitality in 7 countries in Europe and NA 2024
Share of UK respondents using BNPL for gaming
*%
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Detailed statistics
BNPL use as a payment method in gaming in 7 countries in Europe and NA 2024