# Pay-later lending for household needs reaches $160 billion, report says

_Published Monday, August 17, 2026 at 7:07 PM EDT · Products · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

Buy-now-pay-later lenders including Flex, Zip and Affirm are pitching loans for basic household needs, according to a New York Times report summarized by Techmeme. Americans spent $160 billion through pay-later loans in 2025, twice the amount reported for 2023. The report says the expansion raises questions about whether rising use reflects consumer preference or financial distress.

## Sources

- [Techmeme](https://www.techmeme.com/260817/p32#a260817p32)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/h-7qNnXb8FOJt9l9VMW6oU
Published: 2026-08-17T23:07:29.279Z
Story chronology: 2026-08-17T21:00:15.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-10-02T08:29:12.719Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)