Holiday shopping, rising debt, and BNPL adoption are colliding. ͏
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[Morning Watchlist]

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Dear Fellow Investor,

TWO HOT BNPL STOCKS TO BUY AND HOLD EVERY HOLIDAY SEASON

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) stocks remain one of the most compelling
growth stories in today’s consumer finance market—particularly
during the holiday shopping season.

Despite periodic concerns about consumer debt, inflation, and interest
rates, BNPL adoption continues to accelerate. For investors, that
combination of rising demand, expanding market size, and improving
profitability has created a powerful tailwind for select BNPL-related
stocks.

Here are three key reasons why BNPL is still explosive—and two smart
ways investors can position themselves to benefit.

-------------------------

WHY THE BNPL BOOM IS FAR FROM OVER
1. A MASSIVE AND RAPIDLY EXPANDING MARKET

The BNPL industry is growing at an extraordinary pace. From a market
valuation of roughly $560 BILLION IN 2025, the global BNPL market is
expected to surge past $1.4 TRILLION BY 2028. That kind of growth is
rarely linear—and it creates recurring opportunities for investors
who identify strong platforms early.

What’s driving the expansion? BNPL services appeal to both consumers
and merchants. Consumers gain flexibility and transparency compared to
traditional credit cards, while merchants benefit from higher
conversion rates, larger average order values, and increased customer
loyalty. As more retailers integrate BNPL options at checkout, usage
continues to compound.

Holiday shopping seasons, in particular, act as accelerants. Consumers
facing stretched budgets often rely on installment-based payments to
manage large seasonal purchases, pushing BNPL volumes sharply higher
in the fourth quarter.

-------------------------

_Edge on the Street_

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-------------------------

2. AMERICANS ARE CARRYING RECORD LEVELS OF DEBT

Consumer behavior is also reinforcing BNPL’s growth trajectory.
According to the Federal Reserve, TOTAL U.S. HOUSEHOLD DEBT REACHED A
RECORD $18.59 TRILLION IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2025. Rising costs for
essentials like housing, food, and energy have forced many households
to seek flexible financing solutions just to maintain spending.

Rather than turning exclusively to high-interest credit cards, more
consumers are opting for BNPL products that clearly outline repayment
schedules and, in many cases, offer zero-interest installments. For
financially stretched households, BNPL has become less of a luxury and
more of a budgeting tool.

3. BNPL IS BEING USED FOR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS—NOT JUST BIG PURCHASES

BNPL is no longer limited to discretionary purchases like electronics
or fashion. According to CBS NEWS, a growing share of Americans are
now using BNPL loans to cover everyday living expenses.

> _“A quarter of Americans now use BNPL loans to pay for groceries,
> up 14% from last year, according to a recent survey from
> LendingTree.”_

That shift is critical. It suggests BNPL has moved from a niche
financing option to a mainstream payment method embedded in daily
consumer behavior. Once adoption reaches that stage, usage tends to
persist—even during economic slowdowns.

The trend was also evident during the most recent holiday shopping
season. According to MORNINGSTAR, Americans spent $1.03 BILLION ON
CYBER MONDAY ALONE USING BNPL SERVICES such as Klarna, Affirm, and
PayPal—an all-time high. That figure is expected to grow further as
BNPL providers expand partnerships with major retailers.

-------------------------

_Brownstone Research_

December 18, at 8 p.m. ET:
America Unleashed 2026
Five Years of Economic Growth in the Next 12 Months

[AMERICA UNLEASHED]
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Jeff Brown believes a new, much more powerful AI – dubbed the
“Holy Grail” by insiders – will make ChatGPT obsolete and
trigger an economic “big bang” in 2026.

Some are predicting 20% to 30% GDP growth (around 10 times the typical
growth rate).

When this happened before on a smaller scale, individual stocks soared
1,000%-plus.

On December 18, at 8 p.m. ET, Jeff’s sharing the details. Just for
attending, you’ll get the name of one of his top picks.
REGISTER WITH ONE CLICK HERE
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_(When you click the link, your email address will automatically be
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-------------------------

STOCK #1: AFFIRM HOLDINGS (SYM: AFRM)

One of the most direct ways to capitalize on the BNPL boom is AFFIRM
HOLDINGS (SYM: AFRM).

After bottoming near $35 IN APRIL, AFRM has staged an impressive rally
and recently traded around $71.81. Even after that run, the company
appears well-positioned for further upside as BNPL adoption
accelerates and profitability improves.

STRONG EARNINGS MOMENTUM

Affirm’s most recent quarterly results reinforced investor
confidence:

*
EARNINGS PER SHARE: $0.23, beating estimates by $0.12

*
REVENUE: $933.34 million, up 33.6% YEAR OVER YEAR, beating estimates
by nearly $50 million

These results highlight not only revenue growth but also improved
operating leverage as Affirm scales its platform.

AMAZON PARTNERSHIP EXTENDS VISIBILITY

One of the most significant developments was Affirm’s decision to
EXTEND ITS U.S. AGREEMENT WITH AMAZON THROUGH JANUARY 2031. That
partnership provides long-term transaction volume, brand credibility,
and recurring user engagement—three factors Wall Street values
highly in fintech platforms.

EXPLOSIVE USER AND MERCHANT GROWTH

Operational metrics were equally impressive:

*
GROSS MERCHANDISE VOLUME (GMV): Up 42% to $10.8 billion

*
DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER GMV: Up 53% to $3.2 billion

*
ACTIVE USERS: Up 24% to 24.1 million

*
ACTIVE MERCHANTS: Up 30% to 419,000

These figures indicate Affirm is not just riding macro trends—it is
actively gaining market share. As holiday shopping ramps up each year,
Affirm’s growing ecosystem gives it multiple avenues for compounding
growth.

ALTERNATIVE OPTION: ISHARES FINTECH ACTIVE ETF (SYM: BPAY)

For investors who prefer diversification over single-stock exposure,
the ISHARES FINTECH ACTIVE ETF (NYSEARCA: BPAY) offers a compelling
alternative.

Rather than betting on one BNPL provider, BPAY provides broad exposure
to financial technology disruption across payments, banking, lending,
and financial software.

WHY BPAY MAKES SENSE

*
EXPENSE RATIO: 0.66%

*
NUMBER OF HOLDINGS: 37

*
FOCUS: Global fintech innovation

BPAY’s portfolio includes a mix of established financial leaders and
emerging fintech players. Key holdings include PAYPAL, CHARLES SCHWAB,
CAPITAL ONE, SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL, BLOCK, AND GLOBAL PAYMENTS—many of
which directly or indirectly benefit from BNPL growth and digital
payments adoption.

This diversified approach reduces company-specific risk while still
allowing investors to participate in the structural shift toward
digital finance and alternative lending models.

-------------------------

_Paradigm Press_

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR THE STARLINK IPO SURGE?
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Starlink – Elon Musk’s satellite internet project – is rumored
to be gearing up for its IPO, which is projected to be valued at a
staggering $100 billion.

For perspective…

THAT WOULD BE 228X BIGGER
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THAN AMAZON’S IPO!

You read that right…

Starlink's IPO could dwarf the IPO of one of the biggest companies in
HISTORY…

Offering a rare opportunity for early investors.

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is reserved for Wall Street insiders and Silicon Valey investors…

BUT WHAT IF YOU COULD ACCESS A LITTLE-KNOWN PRE-IPO PLAY FOR LESS THAN
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And has revealed HIS #1 STOCK
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-------------------------

_Are there any other seasonal holiday stocks you're buying right now?
What other sectors of the market are you currently interested in? Hit
"reply" to this email and let us know your thoughts!_

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