Dutch MP backs under-21 ban on buy now, pay later

Dutch MP Marjolein Moorman is calling for buy now, pay later services to be barred to under-21s, arguing that easier ways to buy can fuel young people's payment problems. De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), the Dutch central bank, reported her position on 24 September 2026 in its account of a discussion with experts and people with lived experience of financial difficulties. [1]

Moorman, a Pro MP, argues that young people have more options for making purchases without necessarily having more financial knowledge. But Ellen Naudts of DNB drew a distinction between payment convenience and the way payment choices are designed: she said convenience itself does not cause money problems and can improve efficiency and accessibility. [1]

Naudts argued that regulation and education alone would not be enough. Consumers should understand the financial obligation before clicking to buy, taking financial risks should involve some friction, and paying immediately should remain an easy option. [1]

Research by Rhys Ashby and colleagues offers one explanation for why presentation matters. Using transaction data and experiments, the researchers found greater spending with buy now, pay later than with other payment methods. They attributed this to smaller instalment prices making purchases seem less expensive; the effect weakened when, for example, the first instalment was larger. [7]

A growing market, mixed payment trends

The Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) reported that Billink, in3, Klarna and Riverty processed about 53 million transactions worth €5.1 billion in 2024. Transaction numbers rose by 17% from 2023. Yet the regulator also reported a decline in the number of payment problems, although the absolute number remained high. [2]

Among those four providers, the number of users aged 18–24 fell by approximately 6%, while average transactions per user in that age group rose from 9.2 to 9.7. These are provider-level counts: someone using several services is counted more than once. [2]

An age limit beyond the proposed rules

Moorman's proposal predates the DNB discussion. Broadcaster EO's DIT website reported it in 2025, when she was Amsterdam's alderwoman responsible for poverty reduction and debt assistance. In that account, Volt MP Marieke Koekkoek opposed raising the minimum age, citing young adults' autonomy, and instead favoured ending buy now, pay later's exemption from credit checks. [10]

A separate Dutch consumer-credit bill remained before the House of Representatives on 24 September 2026. As introduced in April, it would prohibit the deferred-payment credit it covers for under-18s and require providers to verify customers' dates of birth against a reliable source. Moorman's proposed age limit would go further, also excluding 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds. [4] [5]