logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2022
31m 59s

What Could Go Wrong?

bloomberg
About this episode

Klarna, Affirm and Afterpay have turned four easy payments into a whole new credit universe. Economic uncertainty and regulatory scrutiny—and, of course, the usual debt problems—are spoiling the fun. By Esmé E. Deprez, Evan Weinberger and Jenny Surane

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
America’s Weirdest Culture War Is Over a Tree
Trumpworld, hunters and environmentalists want to resurrect the American chestnut. What they can’t agree on is how. By Kit ChellelSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
17m 24s
Oct 7
When CEOs Brag About Price Hikes, Groundwork Collaborative Is Listening
Lindsay Owens’ think tank is getting traction by blaming the likes of Instacart and Walmart for voters’ tight budgets. By Max ChafkinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
23 m
Sep 17
Trump’s Unapologetic Emissary
Marco Rubio is executing the president’s wishes around the world, even when they contradict his past beliefs. What’s his long game? By Eric Martin and Nancy CookSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
35m 25s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2023
The risk of economic pain is growing. November 3, 2023
<p>– Rates on a knife edge</p> <p>– The risk of economic pain is growing</p> <p>– The good, bad and ugly of acquisitions</p> <p>– Small caps getting smashed?</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p> 
1h 7m
May 2023
Some Buy Now, Pay Later Customers Are Facing Rejection
Some users of Buy Now, Pay Later programs like Klarna and Affirm say they have faced unexpected denials or lower spending limits when they try to make purchases. WSJ personal-finance reporter Imani Moise joins host J.R. Whalen to explain why the companies are tightening credit st ... Show More
5m 20s
Sep 2025
What's Behind the Boom in Buy Now Pay Later
Buy Now Pay Later is everywhere nowadays. Companies like Affirm, Afterpay, and Klarna have brought installment payments into everyday life, while big banks and tech firms also now racing into the space. With the market growing so rapidly, there are obvious concerns over whether B ... Show More
36m 8s
Nov 2025
Buy now, pay dearly? (update)
(Note: A version of this episode originally ran in 2022.)Every time you shop online and make it to the checkout screen, you see those colorful pastel buttons at the bottom. Affirm. Klarna. Afterpay. Asking: Do you want to split your payment into interest-free installments? No cre ... Show More
25m 9s
Aug 2024
Private credit’s ‘golden era’ shows signs of tarnish
<p>Private credit took Wall Street by storm. But at a software company called Pluralsight, recent loan troubles are now highlighting risks that could be hidden in the sector. The FT’s senior US corporate finance correspondent Eric Platt and Due Diligence reporter Amelia Pollard w ... Show More
20m 34s
Apr 2025
The case for private credit
How will rising uncertainty about the global economy and markets affect the outlook for private credit? Goldman Sachs’ James Reynolds, global co-head of private credit in Goldman Sachs Asset Management, and Lotfi Karoui, chief credit strategist and head of credit, mortgages and s ... Show More
19m 30s
Nov 2023
The hidden opportunities in a slowing economy. November 10, 2023
tail spinning
1h 16m