Buy now, pay later is everywhere. Maybe you've seen it when you were buying a Sephora haul, or deciding that you deserve to splurge on your DoorDash delivery, but what’s the truth behind the trend? Today, Sammi answers the question: is BNPL just a shiny new version of the old school layaway, gamified for the TikTok generation? Or is it more dangerous?

Follow Sammi on Instagram here

Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter here

Here’s what Sammi covers today:

00:00 The Allure of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)

01:00 How BNPL Works

01:42 The Popularity… and Risks

06:40 Economic and Social Implications of BNPL

09:11 The Financial Realities of BNPL

12:42 BNPL and Your Credit Score

15:55 Pros, Cons and the Future of Payments

All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1890144), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC.

*APY as of 6/30/25, offered by Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Rate subject to change.

See terms of IRA Match Program here: public.com/disclosures/ira-match.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy Now, Pay Later: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly