ABC lifts the lid of APRA investigation of Cigno 12 August 2024 1:37AM Latest news Ian Rogers The ABC has laid its hands on transcripts of lengthy examinations by ASIC of the top executives of short-term credit provider Cigno. read more
BNPL responsible lending bill introduced 06 June 2024 12:01AM Latest news Ian Rogers Financial Services Minister, Stephen Jones, yesterday introduced legislation into parliament that will see buy now pay later providers brought under the Credit Act. After a period of angst, the BNPL s.. read more
'Utterly crushing' loan rate ruled unconscionable 08 March 2024 4:30AM Latest news John Kavanagh A court has found that a short-term commercial loan with a compounding interest rate of more than 70 per cent a year was unconscionable - “utterly crushing” for the borrower and far in excess of what.. read more
Klarna's Australian directors rein in financial disclosure 26 April 2023 4:31AM Latest news George Lekakis Klarna’s struggling local arm has taken steps to end having to prepare and lodge audited financial accounts in Australia, after the disclosure of recent operating losses highlighted weaknesses in the.. read more
'Deteriorating arrears' send Payright back to the market for funds 16 March 2023 4:56AM Latest news John Kavanagh Buy now pay later company Payright has launched its second capital raising in four months, after a “deteriorating arrears position” forced it to recalculate its working capital needs for the year ahea.. read more
Thorn hits reset 01 December 2022 6:06AM Latest news John Kavanagh The message from finance company Thorn Group in half-year results released yesterday is that it has come through two years of “challenging times” and now it is back in business, although in considerab.. read more
Laybuy cost-cutting takes its toll 30 November 2022 5:20AM Latest news John Kavanagh Laybuy’s underlying sales and active customers number are falling, as belt tightening measures aimed at stemming the buy now pay later company’s losses also cut into growth. read more
Stronger BNPL self-regulation in the mix 22 November 2022 5:49AM Latest news John Kavanagh The government has put forward stronger self-regulation of the buy now pay later industry as one option for improving outcomes for consumers using BNPL. read more
Thorn pays out more excess capital 03 October 2022 6:04AM Latest news John Kavanagh Thorn Group shareholders have voted in favour of a share consolidation and a return of capital – the latest in a series of capital management initiatives the company has made this year as it rebuilds.. read more
BNPL providers called on to develop better hardship policies 08 September 2022 5:53AM Latest news John Kavanagh The buy now pay later industry needs to do more to support users of its services who get into financial difficulty and change its inflexible approach to negotiating repayment terms, a new report argue.. read more
FCA criticises rental instalment product 08 February 2022 5:36AM Latest news John Kavanagh Financial Counselling Australia has called out what it says is “another alarming example of a fintech taking advantage of loopholes in credit laws” to offer a rental payment service with high fees. read more
LawFinance not out of the woods yet 06 September 2021 6:31AM Latest news John Kavanagh Despite a restructure and refinancing of its business in May, specialist medical lien funder LawFinance is not out of trouble yet. read more
Cash Converters growing again – flags “softer” profit 16 June 2021 6:14AM Latest news George Lekakis Controversial payday lender Cash Converters has signalled a lower earnings this year despite reporting a significant recovery in business activity. read more
Credit betting slipping through the cracks 09 March 2021 6:01AM Latest news The Australian Communications and Media Authority has identified a number of problems with the enforcement of a ban on the provision of credit by online and telephone betting operators. read more
BNPL ‘a significant potential consumer harm’: UK report 04 February 2021 4:32AM Latest news John Kavanagh A review of developments in the unsecured credit market for the UK Financial Conduct Authority has called for new credit products, including buy now pay later, “to be brought within the regulatory fra.. read more
Government waters down SACC and consumer lease protections 11 December 2020 5:29AM Latest news John Kavanagh A bill amending the National Consumer Credit Protection Act, which was introduced in the House of Representatives this week, includes protections for consumers taking out small amount credit contacts.. read more
Brief: Taking a bite out of Kiwi loan sharks 13 December 2019 5:08PM Consumer lending Banking Day staff In New Zealand, The Credit Contracts Amendment Bill has passed its final reading. read more
NZ Government urged to bring in interest rate cap 01 August 2019 3:48PM Consumer lending Lynn Grieveson Gerard Brody of the Consumer Action Law Centre travelled across the Tasman to join Kiwi consumer and debt advice organisations calling for the New Zealand Government to bring in an interest rate cap t.. read more
Marginal lenders failed on Senate stage 25 February 2019 5:25PM Consumer lending Ian Rogers More stringent regulation of short-term consumer credit is inevitable, though the likes of Zip Money and Afterpay will be encouraged to rely on a code of practice. read more
Briefs: NZ ministry opposed comprehensive licensing 25 October 2018 5:24PM Briefs Banking Day staff A regulatory assessment reveals the New Zealand business ministry strongly opposed the introduction of a comprehensive creditor licensing regime, similar to that operating in Australia, on the grounds.. read more