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Buy Now Pay Later in Australia - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Ryan Tan Ryan Tan Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: November 2024 ANZSIC OD5547

Revenue

$1.4bn

2024-25

$1.4bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XX.Xm

Employees

2,263

Businesses

9

Wages

$XXX.Xm

Buy Now Pay Later in Australia industry analysis

Technology is up-ending how consumers manage their finances and pay for goods as buy now pay later (BNPL) services have emerged to challenge traditional credit cards and short-term loans. Convenient BNPL services have been integrated into the buying cycle, as consumers, particularly younger demographics, embrace payment instalments at the point-of-sale. Booming online shopping has fuelled merchant and consumer uptake of BNPL platforms. Revenue has surged by an anticipated 13.4% over the past five years, with a 3.7% jump in 2024-25, to reach $1.4 billion.

Trends and Insights

  • As Australia's BNPL market becomes increasingly saturated and traditional credit cards reclaim their competitive edge, BNPL providers' growth is slowing. In response, BNPL providers are innovating and expanding their offerings, with examples like Afterpay's Afterpay Plus.
  • Social media and marketing trends have boosted BNPL adoption among the 18- to 24-year-old demographic, most notably for fashion-related purchases. The younger generations' preference for digital payments and usage of TikTok and other social media platforms have driven this trend.
  • Sydney is the financial capital of Australia. BNPL providers have taken advantage of easy access to New South Wales’s financial and technological resources.
  • Competition is boiling over among BNPL providers as fintech companies and banks enter the BNPL market. The entry of these heavyweights has forced out smaller providers, boosting market share concentration as larger companies continue to dominate the space.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 13.4 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $1.4bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Smaller Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) providers have felt the pinch as operating conditions harshened

  • Big BNPL providers have pursued aggressive strategies to capture market share, prioritising revenue over profit. Losses have been par for the course, as these firms incur significant costs to cover consumers' up-front purchases. Consumers can easily switch between BNPL providers, which has pushed competition up as firms fight to dominate the market.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Buy Now Pay Later in Australia
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Regulation looms as the Australian government introduces reform

  • Definitions in Australia's National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 have created loopholes that allow BNPL companies to operate without an Australian credit license. If approved, the introduction of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Responsible Buy Now Pay Later and Other Measures) Bill 2024 will shift the regulatory landscape of Australia's BNPL industry.

Biggest companies in the Buy Now Pay Later in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue ($m)
2025
Afterpay
829.0
Zip
407.8
Humm
113.5

To view the market share and analysis for all 5 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Buy Now Pay Later in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Buy now pay later services. Buy now pay later services is the largest segment of the Buy Now Pay Later in Australia.

Trends and Insights

Providers are branching out their buy now pay later services' business models

  • All Buy Now Pay Later providers offer the same core service. Although most BNPL providers charge a late fee for any missed payments, the fee structures for each BNPL provider vary.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Industry service providers generally offer payment solutions to merchants and consumers that allow consumers to purchase goods and services immediately but make interest-free repayments in instalments over a specified period.

What's included in this industry?

Buy now pay later services

Companies

AfterpayZipHumm

Purchase this report to view all 5 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

LAY-BYBUY NOW PAY LATER (BNPL)NATIONAL CONSUMER CREDIT PROTECTION ACT 2009

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 6419 - Buy Now Pay Later in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

As Australia's BNPL market becomes increasingly saturated and traditional credit cards reclaim their competitive edge, BNPL providers' growth is slowing. In response, BNPL pr...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Social media and marketing trends have boosted BNPL adoption among the 18- to 24-year-old demographic, most notably for fashion-related purchases. The younger generations' pr...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Sydney is the financial capital of Australia. BNPL providers have taken advantage of easy access to New South Wales’s financial and technological resources.

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Competition is boiling over among BNPL providers as fintech companies and banks enter the BNPL market. The entry of these heavyweights has forced out smaller providers, boost...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

BNPL companies are streamlining their operations by focusing on core services and scaling back on international expansion activities. Notably, Zip has cut back its global ope...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Afterpay's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Zip's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Humm's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 2 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Afterpay, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Zip, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Humm, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 2 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The proposed Treasury Laws Amendment (Responsible Buy Now Pay Later and Other Measures) Bill 2024 seeks to regulate BNPL providers. If approved, it would require providers to...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

BNPL providers have resorted to layoffs as a cost-cutting measure as competition heats up. Despite overall employment growth, efforts to streamline domestic operations and co...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Buy Now Pay Later industry in Australia in 2024?

The market size of the Buy Now Pay Later industry in Australia is $1.4bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Buy Now Pay Later in Australia industry in 2024?

There are 9 businesses in the Buy Now Pay Later industry in Australia, which has declined at a CAGR of 2.1 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Buy Now Pay Later industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Buy Now Pay Later industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 13.4 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Buy Now Pay Later industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Buy Now Pay Later industry in Australia is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Buy Now Pay Later market in Australia?

The biggest companies operating in the Buy Now Pay Later market in Australia are Afterpay, Zip and Humm

What does the Buy Now Pay Later in Australia include?

Buy now pay later services and are part of the Buy Now Pay Later industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Buy Now Pay Later in Australia?

The company holding the most market share in Australia is Afterpay.

How competitive is the Buy Now Pay Later industry in Australia?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Buy Now Pay Later industry in Australia.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Custody, Trustee and Stock Exchange Services in Australia
  • Non-Depository Financing in Australia
  • National and Regional Commercial Banks in Australia
  • Credit Card Issuance in Australia

Complementors

  • There are no industries to display.

International industries

  • Prepaid Credit & Debit Card Providers in the US
  • Credit Card Issuance in the UK

View all industries in Australia

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.