The news: Affirm will be the exclusive buy now, pay later (BNPL) provider for built-in QuickBook Payments through a multiyear partnership with Intuit, per a press release.

Affirm will be listed as a payment option through QuickBook Payments, offering flexibility to customers and clients of small and mid-market businesses (SMBs). Through QuickBook Payments, customers can choose to settle up by digital invoice, on site or in store sales through Affirm. The feature will go live in the coming months for QuickBook Online customers in the US.

Why this matters: SMBs operate on tight margins—and they’re getting tighter under elevated tariffs. More than 97% of US companies that import goods are small businesses, per the US Chamber of Commerce, adding further volatility to SMBs costs. 

As these businesses navigate budget instability, offering immediate access to credit helps clients pay invoices and improve cash flow.

Affirm stands to benefit from managing invoice fulfillment: Over fiscal year 2025, online payment volume on QuickBooks hit $174 billion, per the press release. As consumer sentiment drops to the lowest levels seen since 2014, per the Conference Board’s data, payment providers can lean into commercial spend to offset reduced consumer spending.

Implications for payment providers: As middle- and lower-income consumers pull back their spending in light of economic uncertainty, payment providers should target commercial entities for volume gains. 

Tie-ups that bring payment solutions inside businesses’ existing software are likely to score more immediate adoption by reducing friction.