Consumer groups demand stricter regulation of buy now, pay later loans to reduce harm

Federal government releases options paper with toughest proposal agreeing BNPL should be regulated like credit cards

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Buy now, pay later providers should be regulated like other credit products to protect consumers, given the potential harm caused during the cost-of-living crisis, a coalition of consumer groups has said.

On Monday, the federal financial service minister, Stephen Jones, released a Treasury paper for public consultation. It contained three options for better regulating buy now, pay later (BNPL) services such as Afterpay, including by treating them the same as credit cards under the National Consumer Credit Protection Act.

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