Qlarifi

Think BNPL risk is all about Gen Z and impulse buys? Think again. Qlarifi just completed the first ever real time, multi-provider pilot analysing 6 million BNPL transactions and the results surprised even us. ➡️ 23% of users transact every 5 days or less ➡️ Users aged 55–64 had higher default rates than Gen Z ➡️ Defaults were highest on purchases under £75 ➡️ Frequent users defaulted less than first-time buyers ➡️ Average exposure per user: just £180 Youth and higher usage doesn’t equal higher risk. Traditional credit models can’t see this. Ours can. “Qlarifi gave us access to insights we didn’t even know we were missing,” said Gianluca Cocco, CEO of Qomodo. “It helped us identify high-risk customers earlier, but just as importantly, it highlighted users with strong payment behaviour we might have unfairly restricted. It’s enabled us to act faster, more fairly, and more accurately - protecting consumers while lowering our own costs.” Qlarifi’s real-time infrastructure gives providers and regulators the visibility they need to tailor protections without over-correcting. It’s compliant, predictive, and ready to scale.

Equifax, a global data, analytics and technology company, and Qlarifi, the first real-time consumer credit database purpose built for Buy Now, Pay Later lending, are partnering to conduct a joint study on the impact of BNPL reporting on credit risk assessments and fraud prevention. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4lSI6gs #BNPL #Credit #Fraud

#BNPL is now used by more than half of American consumers. So at Qlarifi we're proud to announce a landmark partnership with Equifax to launch the first real-time, cross-provider BNPL credit study in the U.S. Today’s credit ecosystem simply isn’t designed for short-term borrowing. Most BNPL users rely on multiple providers simultaneously and many have active loans across platforms at any given time. This means that currently, the industry often operates with only a partial picture of consumer exposure and risk. This partnership will change that. This study with Equifax will explore how real time BNPL data aggregated across providers can improve credit decisioning and better protect consumers. But it’s not just about risk detection. It’s about building a pathway for positive credit history from responsible BNPL use, especially for Gen Z and millennial borrowers who are often underserved by traditional systems. We believe this kind of infrastructure is key to unlocking more inclusive and transparent credit outcomes, and we’re excited to expand this work into new markets in the months ahead. Thank you to the Equifax team for their partnership. We’re just getting started! https://lnkd.in/e9xsz2x8

FICO’s new BNPL credit score is a step toward recognising that BNPL isn’t just a fringe payments trend, it’s a core part of modern consumer credit used by millions. But let’s be clear, one provider reporting to one bureau doesn’t fix the systemic issue. What’s really needed is real time, industry wide visibility. Most BNPL users rely on multiple providers, often on the same day. So without the infrastructure that provides real time insights, lenders are flying blind and consumers are being penalised by outdated systems. More importantly, the new score sits alongside, not within, the main credit file. And it still relies on the outdated Metro 2 format, which isn’t built for the fast, flexible nature of BNPL. As a result, traditional scores like FICO 8 or 9 still penalise consumers for normal BNPL usage, treating multiple transactions as credit inquiries and missing repayments that shift due to product returns or flexible terms. Qlarifi was built to solve this. We’ve created a solution that was purpose built for BNPL. It creates transparency via real time data, across multiple providers. Plus, we’re already rolling out in Europe and ready to scale. BNPL deserves modern infrastructure that provides the transparency and real time insights it needs. It’s used by over 100 million consumers in the US alone, and they deserve fair credit decisions based on the full picture, not a broken snapshot. For more thoughts, read the Qlarifi blog here: https://lnkd.in/dKFdqbCD

It was a pleasure to speak with Nicolas Madelaine from Les Echos on Wise’s decision to shift its primary listing to New York. It’s a timely reminder that if London wants to remain a fintech leader, it can’t take its edge for granted. Wise’s move reflects a broader trend - entrepreneurs need certainty, access to capital, and systems that evolve with them. From my perspective, London’s fintech edge won’t disappear overnight, but if we don't back it with decisive, proportionate regulation and modern infrastructure, other markets will define the next decade. Article in full here: https://lnkd.in/eY6sZhxr 

#BNPL has gone from fringe product to financial mainstay, but the infrastructure behind it hasn’t kept up. That’s creating blind spots for consumers, providers and regulators alike. In an op-ed for VC Wire, I explore where the BNPL industry is heading, and why real time credit infrastructure isn’t just a nice to have anymore. It’s the foundation for making BNPL sustainable, transparent and safe at scale. BNPL is flexible, fast, and frictionless, which is exactly why consumers love it and retailers embrace it. But that speed has outpaced the infrastructure needed to make it sustainable. In most markets, BNPL loans are still invisible to traditional credit systems. At Qlarifi, we’re building the real time and transparent infrastructure that reflects how BNPL actually works. Read the full piece here: https://lnkd.in/edArGyVi 

For retailers, BNPL is no longer an optional extra. It’s a core part of the checkout journey, especially for younger, digitally native customers . In the UK alone, there are over 400,000 BNPL transactions every day, most at around £150. At Qlarifi, our data shows that 8–10% of BNPL users make more than one transaction in a single day. These micro patterns of behaviour can quickly create affordability risks, not from one big loan, but from stacked small ones across multiple providers. In a piece for Business Reporter, I explore: ➡️ What responsible BNPL infrastructure really requires ➡️ Why real time data is more useful than retroactive checks ➡️ How retailers can prepare for the shift from unregulated to regulated BNPL BNPL is here to stay. The challenge now is creating the infrastructure and proportional oversight that make it transparent, safe and fair. That’s what we’re building at Qlarifi. Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/esZ_RKca

Grateful to be featured in today’s Les Echos by Nicolas Madelaine on the future of BNPL and Qlarifi’s emerging role in credit infrastructure. As BNPL regulation gains momentum in the UK and across Europe, the credit transparency gap is becoming harder to ignore. At Qlarifi, we’re building the systems to address it. Enabling real time, proportionate credit checks that reflect how BNPL actually works: high frequency, low value, and with flexible payment terms. Our data shows that 8 - 10% of consumers who make a BNPL transaction have made another one earlier that same day, but without Qlarifi, that’s invisible. With 415,000 BNPL transactions happening every day in the UK alone, and most under £150, transparency can no longer be someone else’s problem. The gap is real, and solvable. It’s time for transparent credit infrastructure that works in real time, at scale, and in context. Read the full article in French (paywalled): https://lnkd.in/examj6Hr

Qlarifi, a London-based FinTech startup innovating credit reporting for Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL), has announced the completion of a €1.6 million pre-Seed to bring repayment transparency to the BNPL industry 🇬🇧 🏦 The round was backed by a combination of Honeycomb Asset Management, Carthona Capital and a selection of angel investors including Australian rugby legend John Eales. “Our reason for building Qlarifi was to create transparency and a fit-for-purpose solution to a problem that’s been frustrating us for too long. We’re proud that the industry has responded so positively. They’ve been crying out for the real time information Qlarifi provides,” said Alex Naughton, CEO and Co-founder of Qlarifi. “This funding round reflects the confidence our investors have in our mission, and enables us to take the next leap in our growth journey.” https://lnkd.in/dk-577As

Qlarifi successfully closes pre-seed round to revolutionise BNPL backed by Carthona Capital, Honeycomb Asset Management and rugby legend John Eales #ukfintech #fintechuk #fintech #fintechnews #finance #financialtechnology #startups #startupnews #fintechstartups #investinginfintech #investments #investors #investing #capitalraise #funding #capraise #VC #venturecapital #buynowpaylater #BNPL