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. Transform your business with Marqeta's modern card issuing platform. Our open API platform allows businesses to instantly issue cards and process payments. Integrate end to end credit and payment solutions into your business processes using our modern card issuing platform. Learn more at marqueta.com Sign up for Alex’s Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don’t forget to check out my YouTube page. 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