P
Pulsafi

Americans Using Buy Now Pay Later (2026)

39%
Percent of US adults who have used BNPL in the past 12 months
Summary

About 39% of US adults have used Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services like Klarna, Afterpay, and Affirm in the past year — up from 17% in 2021. Average BNPL balance is $670 across active users. Concerns: 24% of users miss at least one payment, and BNPL doesn't typically build credit. Total BNPL transaction volume reached $112 billion in 2025.

Breakdown

% of US adults using BNPL (past 12mo)39%
Avg active BNPL balance$670
% missing at least one payment24%
Total US BNPL volume (2025)$112B
Top use caseApparel/electronics
Source
Federal Reserve / Consumer Financial Protection Bureau· As of 2026-Q1

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All Pulsafi stats are sourced from primary government data and major financial institutions. Read the full methodology and data-sources page.