This story was originally published on Payments Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Payments Dive newsletter. Senate Democrats want the buy now, pay later industry to disclose who uses their services, how often they do and who pays late.  Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii sent letters Wednesday to the heads of Affirm Holdings, Block-owned Afterpay, Kl ...

Core Insights - Klarna has leveraged AI-related savings to increase staff salaries by nearly 60%, but may consider further job cuts after reducing its workforce by almost half over the past three years [1][4][5] Workforce and Employment - The company's headcount decreased from 5,527 to 2,907 since 2022, primarily due to natural attrition, with technology replacing departing staff rather than hiring new employees [1][4] - Klarna's internal AI program has reduced reliance on outsourced workers, with technology now performing the work of 853 full-time staff, an increase from 700 earlier this year [2] Financial Performance - Klarna reported a 108% increase in revenues while maintaining flat operating costs, which was described as "pretty remarkable" by the CEO [3] - Average employee compensation has risen from $126,000 in 2022 to $203,000 today, reflecting the company's commitment to sharing efficiency gains with employees [5] Revenue Metrics - The revenue per employee metric has reached $1.1 million, with expectations for continued growth in this area, potentially leading to further staff reductions [6] - Klarna reported a 26% increase in revenues for the three months ending September, totaling $903 million, surpassing analysts' expectations [7] Losses and Accounting Changes - Despite revenue growth, Klarna experienced a $95 million loss during the same period, significantly higher than the $4 million loss reported the previous year, attributed to changes in accounting standards following its NYSE listing [8]

By Supantha Mukherjee STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Growth in U.S. markets helped Swedish fintech firm Klarna to achieve a 26% jump ​in third-quarter revenue, beating expectations in its first report as a ‌public company and forecasting revenue above $1 billion in the current quarter, the company said on Tuesday. The ‌buy now, pay later lender, which went public in September in New York, reported revenue of $903 million, beating analysts' expectations of $882 million, according to data compiled by LSEG. "To a la ...

PayPal and KKR have renewed their partnership that will see the investment giant purchase up to 65 billion euros ($75.4 billion) of the payments provider's European buy now, pay later loans, the compa... ...

Core Insights - Paytech emerged as the top-performing fintech vertical in Europe for Q3 2025, with an estimated EUR 896 million in growth and venture capital funding, representing a 117% increase from Q2 2025's EUR 413 million [1][3] - Klarna's IPO significantly contributed to the sector's momentum, raising approximately US$1.37 billion and marking it as the fourth-largest IPO of the year [5][6] - Insurtech also showed notable growth, with funding reaching EUR 258 million in Q3 2025, up 25% quarter-on-quarter [15] Paytech Sector - Established ventures like Rapyd and Fnality drove funding surges, with Rapyd raising an additional US$25 million and Fnality securing US$136 million for its global settlement network [3][4] - Klarna's IPO involved selling 34.3 million shares at US$40 each, leading to a valuation of US$19.65 billion and operational profitability for five consecutive quarters [5][6] - Other significant transactions included Lloyds Banking Group's acquisition of Curve for EUR 140 million, enhancing its payments infrastructure [8] Banking and Digital Currency - The banking and digital currency vertical saw a 22% quarter-on-quarter increase in funding, totaling EUR 219 million in Q3 2025 [10] Insurtech Sector - Insurtech experienced major M&A activity, highlighted by Inigo's acquisition of Radian for EUR 1.5 billion, aimed at expanding into new insurance markets [11][12] - Applied Systems acquired Cytora for EUR 150-300 million to integrate AI technology into its insurance solutions [13][14] Overall Fintech Landscape - European fintech growth and VC funding remained stable at EUR 1,711 million in Q3 2025, reflecting a slight decline of 5% from the previous quarter [15] - Wealthtech and capital markets continued to lead the public fintech landscape, with high EV/EBITDA and EV/Revenue multiples indicating strong investor confidence [20][21]

The data also revealed that in 2022, one-fifth of consumers with a credit record financed at least one purchase with a BNPL loan, up from 17.6% in 2021; about 20% of borrowers were heavy users originating more than one BNPL loan on average each month, an increase from 18% in 2021; and the average number of new loans originated per borrower increased from 8.5 to 9.5.The numbers that are available are both ugly and dated. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau data published in January of this year — after the ...

Core Insights - The CEO of Affirm, Max Levchin, believes that AI and humanoid robots will serve as tools to enhance human productivity rather than replace jobs [1][3] - The Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) market is experiencing significant growth, with 15% of Americans using BNPL services in 2024, and Affirm's stock has increased by 25% in 2025 [2] - Affirm has reported strong fiscal first-quarter results for 2026, with analysts maintaining a positive outlook on the company's growth and stock performance [4][5] Company Performance - Affirm's recent fiscal first-quarter 2026 results were solid, leading to bullish analyst ratings, including a Buy rating from Goldman Sachs with a price target of $94 [4] - JPMorgan has rated Affirm as Overweight, projecting premium volume growth exceeding 20% and expanding operating margins due to increased penetration at platform partners like Shopify, Amazon, and Apple Pay [5] Industry Trends - The sentiment around AI in the workforce is mixed, with a survey indicating that 79% of respondents feel AI has impacted their roles, reflecting concerns about job displacement [3] - Levchin emphasizes that AI will enhance human intelligence and decision-making capabilities, suggesting a future where humans and AI collaborate effectively [6]

Core Insights - Turtle Creek Asset Management's third-quarter 2025 investor letter indicates a challenging market environment, with the Turtle Creek Equity Fund's net asset value increasing by only 0.4%, underperforming compared to the S&P MidCap 400 index's 7.7% and the S&P/TSX Completion index's 16.3% gains [1] - The letter highlights Bread Financial Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:BFH) as a notable investment, showcasing its strong one-month return of 7.05% and a 52-week gain of 13.63% [2] Fund Performance - The Turtle Creek Synthetic PE Fund increased by 1.4%, while the Turtle Creek United States Equity Fund decreased by 1.0%, and the Turtle Creek Canadian Equity Fund increased by 7.8% during the same period [1] Company Focus: Bread Financial Holdings, Inc. - Bread Financial Holdings, Inc. provides white-labeled credit cards and 'buy now, pay later' lending solutions, serving major brand partners in North America [3] - The company reported revenue of $971 million in the third quarter of 2025, maintaining its position among hedge funds with 30 portfolios holding its stock [4] - Despite its potential, the company is not considered among the top 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds, and the firm believes certain AI stocks may offer better investment opportunities [4]

Core Insights - The American consumer remains healthy and engaged in shopping, driven by upcoming holidays, countering recent market concerns about consumer spending [2][3] - The growth in consumer behavior is reflected in the increasing demand for services and products, particularly in the buy now, pay later sector [9][10] Consumer Behavior - Different segments of consumers exhibit varied spending behaviors, with some focusing on saving money through promotions while others prioritize cash flow over total costs [7][8] - The Affirm platform has seen a rise in active consumers, indicating a diverse range of spending habits among users [6] Company Strategy - The company emphasizes transparency and control for users, which helps maintain customer loyalty and repeat usage [4][8] - Partnerships with major retailers like Amazon, Shopify, and Apple enhance the company's service offerings and market reach [8][10] Market Position - The competitive landscape includes smaller firms that often rely on late fees, which positions the company favorably due to its customer-friendly approach [11] - Current growth trajectories are strong enough that the company is not actively pursuing mergers and acquisitions at this time [11] Future Outlook - The company is focused on executing its existing strategies and is cautious about announcing new products until they are fully developed [15] - There is an ongoing interest in adapting to generational wealth transfer trends and expanding product offerings to meet diverse consumer needs [12][13]

Core Insights - Buy now, pay later (BNPL) companies like Affirm are intensifying competition with traditional credit card companies [1] Group 1: Industry Trends - The BNPL sector is experiencing growth as consumers seek alternative payment options to credit cards [1] - Companies in the BNPL space are innovating their offerings to attract more customers and increase market share [1] Group 2: Company Strategies - Affirm is focusing on enhancing its product features to better compete with credit card offerings [1] - The company aims to position itself as a viable alternative to credit cards by emphasizing flexibility and consumer-friendly terms [1]