Cash App to Launch ‘Pay-Over-Time‘ Feature, Leveraging Afterpay Expertise
Cash App is expanding it’s financial offerings to include a “pay-over-time” option for its 26 million monthly Cash App Card users, Block announced today (November 20). The new feature will combine Block’s underwriting capabilities with Afterpay’s established expertise in the buy now, pay later (BNPL) space, offering a transparent credit alternative to traditional credit cards.
The pilot program is slated to launch within months, with a broader rollout planned for early 2026. This move represents a significant evolution for Cash App, shifting its focus from peer-to-peer money transfers to a more thorough financial management platform, according to recent comments from Block executives.
“We’re bringing together Block’s underwriting muscle with Afterpay’s proven pay-over-time expertise to deliver something our 26 million monthly Cash App Card actives have been asking for,” said Owen Jennings, executive officer and head of buisness at Block, in the press release. “We’re offering a transparent form of credit and a real alternative for americans who wont versatility without the traditional baggage ofen associated with credit cards.”
The launch follows block’s acquisition of Afterpay in 2022, a move that signaled the company’s ambition to build ”integrated ecosystems” across its various platforms. Cash App, Square, and Afterpay are increasingly interconnected, with cash App users spending through Square merchants, and Afterpay automating retail finance at the point of sale.
According to Jennings, in a recent interview with PYMNTS CEO Karen Webster, the latest Cash App updates mark a transition from a platform for simply sending money to one that actively helps users manage their finances. This expansion positions Cash App to compete more directly with traditional credit providers and other BNPL services in the rapidly evolving fintech landscape.