Doha, Qatar – Qatar Central Bank has established one of the Middle East’s most comprehensive regulatory frameworks for Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services, positioning Qatar as a regional leader in responsible fintech regulation, according to Dr. Devid Jegerson, CEO of PayLater.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Gulf Times, Jegerson said the framework combines strong consumer safeguards with sustainable market growth through mandatory affordability checks, credit bureau reporting, and limits on consumer exposure.
“The measures are not hurdles but foundations for sustainable expansion,” Jegerson said. “This is where Qatar leads, and it is a point of pride for us to operate inside that framework.”
The regulatory regime also mandates creditworthiness assessments, transparent pre-contract disclosures, and rapid complaint resolution mechanisms, making Qatar’s BNPL framework among the most advanced in the Gulf region.
According to Jegerson, PayLater maintains ongoing engagement with Qatar Central Bank on issues including transparency, responsible lending, and financial literacy. He described the relationship with the regulator as collaborative rather than purely compliance-driven.
“An informed customer is a protected customer,” he emphasised.
Jegerson noted that the safeguards introduced by Qatar help prevent the debt cycles observed in less regulated markets. He said affordability limits, credit bureau reporting, and exposure caps should not be viewed as bureaucratic obstacles, but as essential structures enabling long-term BNPL growth.
“We do not experience these as constraints; we experience them as the foundation of a market worth leading,” he stated.
Discussing the balance between growth and consumer protection, Jegerson stressed that sustainable business expansion depends on customer trust and financial wellbeing.
“A customer who over-extends does not come back; a customer who trusts you stays for life,” he said.
He added that PayLater prioritises responsible lending decisions over short-term transaction growth.
“A BNPL company that forgets that is not building a business; it is building a liability. We intend to be here for decades,” Jegerson remarked.
Highlighting the role of regulators in fintech ecosystems, Jegerson concluded: “In fintech, the regulator is not an obstacle but a co-builder of the trust infrastructure that makes the whole business possible. A well-regulated market is the only kind worth winning.”
Source: Gulf Times
