16th October 2026 - 4 min read
In the first half of 2026, people aged 30 and below spent about RM82 on each buy now, pay later (BNPL) purchase, by our calculation. The average across all ages is about RM85.
This age group made 65.9 million BNPL transactions, or 37.9% of the total, valued at RM5.4 billion. They also owed RM2.4 billion in BNPL financing on 30 June 2026. Of that, RM96.8 million, or 4.0%, was behind on payments. The figures come from a written Ministry of Finance reply published on Parliament’s website on 13 October, as reported by Bernama.
The RM82 comes from dividing RM5.4 billion by 65.9 million transactions. The all-ages average of about RM85 is RM14.7 billion divided by 173.9 million transactions. This age group accounts for a large share of transactions, but each purchase is about the same size as everyone else’s.
The table shows what RM82 purchases cost each month if you split each one into three equal payments. It compares them with the RM1,700 minimum monthly wage.
| Purchases | Total | Monthly payment | Share of RM1,700 minimum wage |
| 1 | RM82 | RM27 | 1.6% |
| 3 | RM246 | RM82 | 4.8% |
| 5 | RM410 | RM137 | 8.0% |
| 8 | RM656 | RM219 | 12.9% |
Eight RM82 purchases come to RM656. Spread over three months, that’s about RM219 a month, or 13% of the RM1,700 minimum wage before deductions. The table is our own example. After deductions, the share of your take-home pay is higher.
The reply lists the 4.0% as unpaid financing, meaning balances behind on payments. It doesn’t say how many days behind a balance must be to count, or how many people are affected. The Ministry of Finance reported 3.4% of balances overdue across all ages at the end of March, though the dates and wording differ. A missed payment can still cost you, and the BNPL fees guide lists these charges, with figures updated as of July 2026.
One missed Atome payment and one missed Grab PayLater payment in the same month come to as much as RM33.
A missed payment can also reach your credit record. Ryt PayLater is issued by Ryt Bank, so missed payments go to CCRIS, Bank Negara Malaysia’s credit reporting system. A missed payment stays on CCRIS for up to 12 months, and banks check it for home loans, car loans, and credit cards. You can check your own report for free through eCCRIS.
Non-bank providers such as Atome, SPayLater, Grab PayLater, and TikTok PayLater are required to report to licensed credit reporting agencies under the Consumer Credit Act 2025. That reporting is still being phased in, so not every missed payment reaches a credit record yet.
The Consumer Credit Commission (Suruhanjaya Kredit Pengguna, or SKP) regulates consumer credit providers. Its conduct standards took effect on 5 June 2026 and apply to BNPL providers, according to Malay Mail. If a provider gives you a limit above RM1,000, it has to check you can afford it first. Miss two payments in a row and your account must be suspended until you’ve paid what you owe. A provider can also suspend you after one.
A late charge can only cover what it costs the provider to recover the overdue amount, with no fixed minimum. The fees listed above are from July, after the standards took effect, so check each provider’s current terms. If you think someone else is using your account, the provider must give you a way to suspend or disable it quickly.
Before you take on another BNPL purchase, list every instalment you owe with its due date, across all apps. Add up what falls due this month and set it against your pay. If a provider has suspended your account, clear what you owe before the missed payment can reach your credit record.
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Iman writes about personal finance with curiosity. She is interested in the stories behind money, the hesitation around big decisions, and the small habits that shape financial futures. Off the clock, she is either dissecting a film or climbing her way up the leaderboard in her favourite games.
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