Gen Zers drive BNPL surge but need a push to boost in-store usage

Gen Zers will drive the growth of emerging payment methods, opening the door for providers to reach them through digital and mobile—even while card-based payment methods remain relevant. To tap their rising spending power, providers must align their offerings with how Gen Z prefers to pay—where BNPL has a big role to play.

Gen Zers are driving the BNPL surge but will need a push to boost in-store usage.

• They are ahead of the curve on BNPL. The method will bring in $94.87 billion in payment value this year, per our forecast. While a third (31.3%) of US consumers will be active users in 2023, Gen Z will outweigh them at 46.7%.
• Gen Zers will strengthen their BNPL leadership. By 2026, 50.1% will use BNPL services—a higher share than any other generation. BNPL’s digital-first user experience and app-based shopping options are a natural fit for digital natives’ lifestyles.
• But to realize full usage potential, providers must get Gen Z to use BNPL in-store. By the end of 2026, brick-and-mortar will still account for $4 of every $5 spent in retail, per our forecast. Yet most BNPL use remains online—including among Gen Zers. Providers will need to convince them that in-store BNPL solutions offer the same seamless and easy experience.

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