Writer: Lucy Lazarony
Editor: Lillian Guevara-Castro
Reviewer: Adam West
Key Takeaways
- Four U.S. Senators sent letters to the three major credit bureaus asking them how they handle Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) consumer payment data.
- Major BNPL provider Affirm reports payment data on its millions of customers to Experian and TransUnion.
- On average, consumers using BNPL services for their shopping have borrowed $2,085.
Using Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services while shopping is certainly convenient. But what are the credit bureaus doing with the data? And what are their plans for the data in the future? Four U.S. Senators set out to find answers.
On May 4, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) sent letters to their major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion asking them about BNPL data and requesting a response by May 18.
Calling the current infrastructure of credit reporting in the United States “extremely opaque,” the senators also wrote the credit reporting industry has been “very secretive” about credit scoring models and this presents consumer protection issues.
The senators also point out there is not a standard method across the credit bureaus on how to handle BNPL data.
Credit Bureau Response
We received this response in an email from an Equifax spokesperson.
“Equifax has received the letter sent by Senators Warren, Duckworth, Blumenthal, and Hirono and plans to respond. We believe that BNPL reporting can play a role in helping people build stronger financial profiles and that consumers should be able to use their responsible BNPL behaviors as a stepping stone to other types of credit.”
We reached out to Experian and TransUnion as well but did not receive comments prior to the publication of this article.
Reaching Out to BNPL Providers
In November 2025, the senators wrote to seven BNPL providers inquiring about their practices, including whether they report BNPL loans to the credit bureaus. What did they find out? With one exception, most BPNL providers do not send data to the credit bureaus.
What prevented the other BNPL providers from sending data? These BNPL providers were concerned the credit bureaus would interpret BNPL loans in a way that was harmful to their customers including lowering a customer’s credit score.
Other concerns included adding an “unnecessary” trade line to a consumer’s credit report and broader concerns about the manner and types of data in credit scoring.
Affirm Reports to Credit Bureaus
Major BNPL provider Affirm reports to major credit bureaus Experian and TransUnion. Affirm said it would report all pay-over-time loans issued from April 1, 2025, onward to Experian, though the data would not be factored into traditional credit scores in the near term.
Research from TransUnion found that 53% of people not currently using BNPL services would be likely or very likely to use them if doing so would have a positive impact on credit scores.
“Affirm’s loan furnishing to TransUnion is an exciting milestone for the industry,” said Steven Chaouki, President, U.S. Markets and Consumer Interactive at TransUnion. “Millions of consumers use Affirm’s pay-over-time financing and they deserve to get credit for their payment behavior.”
BNPL Data in FICO Scores
FICO announced in June 2025 credit scores that incorporate BNPL data.
“Buy Now, Pay Later loans are playing an increasingly important role in consumers’ financial lives,” said Julie May, Vice President and General Manager of B2B Scores at FICO.
“By expanding our FICO Score 10 Suite with new models designed to incorporate BNPL data, we’re enabling lenders to more accurately evaluate credit readiness, especially for consumers whose first credit experience is through BNPL products.”
The Growth of BNPL Shopping
BNPL first started as a payment method in the United States in 2019. By 2024, more than 15% of U.S. consumers were using BNPL services for their shopping, including essentials. In fact, 25% of BNPL shoppers have used the service for groceries.
On average, consumers using BNPL services have borrowed $2,085, according to Capital One Shopping.
Monthly BNPL spending increased 21% from $201.60 in June 2024 to $243.90 in June 2025, according to Empower Personal Dashboard data. This data also revealed more than half of BNPL consumers are 35 years or younger, and 1 in 10 Americans use BNPL services to pay for travel and vacations.
The Bottom Line
Four U.S. Senators wrote letters to the three major credit bureaus seeking information on BNPL payment data. The companies, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, have until May 18 to respond. The key questions of the letters focus on how the credit bureaus handle BNPL payment data from consumers.
For example Affirm, a major BNPL provider, sends payment information on its millions of customers to Experian and TransUnion. But as the Senators point out there is no standard method for handling BNPL data at the credit bureaus.
