CFPB opens probe into red hot 'buy now, pay later' industry
CNN
Regulators in Washington may crack down on the industry behind "buy now, pay later," the increasingly popular method for consumers to purchase things online.
The Consumer Financial Protection said Thursday that it is looking to "collect information on the risks and benefits of these fast-growing loans" from five leading BNPL companies: Affirm; Australia's Afterpay, which is getting bought by Square owner Block; PayPal; privately held Swedish fintech Klarna; and Zip, another BNPL firm headquartered in Australia.
Shares of Affirm, which went public in January, plunged more than 10% following the CFPB news. Block (SQ) shares fell about 5%, but that drop may also have something to do with a lawsuit filed against it by tax preparer H&R Block (HRB). PayPal (PYPL) was down slightly.
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