New guidance from the Treasury Department’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) advises banks to tailor their risk management strategies and lending oversight for “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) plans.

The OCC’s bulletin, released Wednesday, addressed risks posed by BNPL loans payable in four or fewer installments and carrying no finance charges. Loans with payment terms greater than four installments or that charge interest or carry other finance charges are considered by the OCC to be traditional and are not within the scope of the guidance.

Aaron Nicodemus is the Editor-in-Chief of Compliance Week. He previously worked as a reporter for Bloomberg Law and as business editor at the Telegram & Gazette in Worcester, Mass. Email: aaron.nicodemus@complianceweek.com LinkedIn:...