Buy Now, Pay Later has become a standard feature at checkout across Europe. For many platforms, it is simply part of the payments mix. From 2026, that changes.
New regulations in both the EU and the UK will bring BNPL firmly into the scope of mainstream consumer credit. This means licensing, affordability checks, standardised disclosures and structured arrears handling will become mandatory, not optional.
In short, BNPL moves from being a checkout feature to being a regulated credit product.
What’s changing?
From 2026:
- The EU’s revised Consumer Credit Directive will apply to short-term and interest-free BNPL products
- In the UK, Deferred Payment Credit will fall under Financial Conduct Authority regulation.
- Providers will need robust creditworthiness assessments, clearer disclosures and stronger audit trails
- Software platforms will need to support documented decisions, customer consent, complaints handling and regulatory reporting
- For software vendors and embedded finance platforms, this is not just a compliance update. It is a structural shift in how BNPL journeys are designed, delivered and monitored
What our whitepaper explores:
- The whitepaper provides a deeper look at:
- The practical implications of the EU and UK regimes
- How regulatory requirements reshape product design and checkout flows
- The new data, decisioning and audit capabilities platforms must support
- Which verticals are most exposed, including retail, point of sale and travel
- Strategic questions for founders, operators and investors
If you are looking at expanding your offer into lending or BNPL is already in your software stack, this report helps you understand not just what is changing, but how to prepare.
Download the full report
To explore the full findings and recommendations, download the complete whitepaper
Industry Insights: Buy Now, Pay Later in 2026
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