Affirm Expands BNPL Access Through Google, Stripe Partnerships

Affirm is launching two integrations aimed at expanding its buy now, pay later (BNPL) options across both online and in-person retail, deepening its ties with Google and Stripe.

On Tuesday (Aug. 12), the San Francisco-based payments company said U.S. shoppers using Google Chrome’s desktop browser can now select Affirm directly from the browser’s autofill menu at checkout. The move builds on Affirm’s earlier integration with Google Pay and is designed to make installment payment plan use more frictionless.

“By integrating Affirm with autofill on Chrome, we can deliver payment choice and flexibility seamlessly and at scale,” Vishal Kapoor, senior vice president of product at Affirm, said in a statement.

The feature, which enables eligible consumers to choose biweekly or monthly payment plans on purchases between $35 and $30,000, requires no additional setup for merchants and will be activated automatically on select sites.

On Wednesday (Aug. 13), Affirm announced it had become the first BNPL provider to integrate with popular point-of-sale hardware Stripe Terminal. Shoppers at participating stores will be able to scan a QR code at checkout to apply for financing, with repayment terms ranging from 30 days to 60 months.

“Enabling Affirm through Stripe Terminal gives us a powerful new way to help merchants drive growth and meet customers where they are,” Wayne Pommen, chief revenue officer at Affirm, said in a statement.

Indeed, consumers often make their retail purchases in stores. PYMNTS Intelligence research from last summer found that for non-grocery retail, nearly three-quarters of consumers’ last purchase was made in person.

Further PYMNTS Intelligence findings indicate that BNPL changes the way consumers shop. Specifically, many users would either delay a purchase or buy a cheaper item if BNPL were not an option. While some consumers use the service for convenience in managing their finances, a notable portion relies on it out of necessity, a distinction often tied to income level.

In recent months, Affirm has been adding partnerships to drive adoption. In June, the BNPL company announced a tie-in with auto shop management platform Shopmonkey to offer the option at car repair shops. In May, the company expanded its existing partnership with travel search engine Kayak.

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