In recent years, Venezuelan consumers have increasingly embraced installment payments as an alternative to the scarcity of traditional bank credit and the limited ability to purchase goods outright. "Buy Now, Pay Later" (BNPL) applications, direct credit from retailers, and, more recently, partnerships between banks and retail chains have become common ways to access consumer goods, technology, and household services.
Installment payments have gained ground in Venezuela in a context where access to formal bank credit remains limited and the purchasing power of many households is not always sufficient to cover larger cash purchases, such as appliances or technological equipment. In this scenario, "Buy now, pay later" fintech applications, direct store credit, and partnerships between banks and retail chains are all competing for the same space: facilitating everyday consumption by splitting payments. Understanding which of these options is preferred, and why, helps to gauge how Venezuelans are reshaping their daily finances.
However, this financing method is not without its challenges. It facilitates access to goods that would otherwise be unattainable at the time of purchase, but it also involves committing future income to regular installments, in an economic environment where wages don't always keep pace with prices.
DatosUN sought to understand this reality among our readers by asking: how frequently and intensely do they use these financing methods, which ones do they prefer, in which product categories do they consider them most useful, and how do they perceive their impact on spending habits and the associated risks? The goal is not to evaluate a particular platform or service, but rather to create a general picture of the installment payment phenomenon as an everyday consumer practice.
The survey was conducted between August 11 and 19, 2026, with a total sample of 465 people. Let's look at the results.
They use more Fintech than traditional banking.
We began our analysis by asking our readers how frequently they use installment plans or financing options each month. 46,2% of respondents use installment payments on a regular or weekly basis: 26,7% only for emergencies or essential expenses, and 19,6% weekly. An additional 18,1% said they prefer to pay in full, while 35,7% stated they do not use any installment financing system.
Among those who do finance their purchases, independent "Buy Now, Pay Later" (BNPL) apps—of fintech origin—are the most used method, at 38,1%. This is followed by direct store credit (25,8%), traditional bank credit cards or lines of credit (20,7%), and, lastly, direct partnerships between retailers and banks (15,4%). The data suggests that, when it comes to financing everyday consumption, independent fintech companies have more influence than traditional banks in their various forms.
BNPL from Cashea and Banco de Venezuela are the most popular
Among those who use independent BNPL applications, Cashea concentrates 95,6% of the preference, well above platforms such as Krece (3,5%) and Yummy Fun (0,9%).
Among those who use banking partnerships or services at businesses, more than half—58,7%—chose Banco de Venezuela's Instant Credit/BNPL service as the most used or trusted. This is followed by Banesco's partnerships with retailers and supermarkets (19,6%), Farmatodo's partnership with Banco Mercantil (13,0%), and Banco Provincial's partnership with retailers and supermarkets (8,7%).
They use it to buy technology
When asked in which product category they consider the option of paying in installments most useful or necessary, 42,5% of those who use financing indicated household appliances, technology, and home furnishings. This was followed by food, groceries, and household goods at 33,1%, health, medicine, and personal care at 18,4%, and clothing, footwear, and entertainment at 6,0%.
Regarding how the option to pay in installments has influenced daily spending habits, 46,2% say it allows them to make necessary purchases in advance, and an additional 26,4% state they only use it when absolutely necessary. The remainder is divided among those who feel it requires strict control (10,4%), those who see a fixed portion of their bi-weekly budget committed (6,7%), those who say their habits haven't changed (6,0%), and those who associate it with the possibility of accessing higher-quality or more expensive products (4,3%).
Over-indebtedness, the main risk
When asked about the main drawback or risk of paying in installments, 44,8% cited over-indebtedness due to the accumulation of bi-weekly payments as their primary concern. This was followed by surcharges or fees compared to the cash price (25,4%), the amount of the down payment required (19,4%), and credit limits or the lack of affiliated merchants in their area (10,4%). The perceived risk is more focused on managing the future financial commitment than on the conditions for accessing credit.
