LemFi, the AI-powered international payments platform built for immigrant communities, has launched Send Now, Pay Later (SNPL)—a credit-enabled remittance feature that lets customers transfer money home immediately and settle the bill later. The product debuts in the UK, where immigrants send nearly £10 billion annually, and targets a familiar pain point: urgent family needs rarely wait for payday.
At launch, SNPL is available to LemFi’s more than two million customers. Instead of requiring upfront cash like traditional remittance services, LemFi layers a revolving credit line into the transfer flow. Approved users receive limits typically ranging from £300 to £1,000, then choose SNPL at checkout; LemFi funds the transfer instantly while creating a deferred repayment schedule for the sender.
Under the hood is Ensemble, LemFi’s AI decisioning model. Ensemble blends data from national credit bureaus, open banking feeds, LemFi’s own remittance history, and—crucially for newcomers—signals from international credit footprints. The system adapts to each user’s data availability, tightening or relaxing requirements and assigning risk-adjusted limits based on affordability. For immigrants with thin or non-existent UK files, the approach aims to reduce “credit invisibility” without sacrificing prudence.
“Buy Now, Pay Later transformed how people purchase goods around their cash flow,” said Ridwan Olalere, LemFi’s co-founder and CEO. “But remittances—one of the most important financial lifelines for immigrants—have never had that flexibility. SNPL integrates credit directly into the remittance experience so support isn’t delayed by timing.”
Access begins with LemFi Credit onboarding, which leverages open banking to assess eligibility and calibrate limits. Customers can then send to any of 30+ LemFi-supported destination countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. LemFi says its real-time and same-day rails reduce transfer times compared with traditional bank routes, helping families receive money when it matters.
The company frames SNPL as both a convenience feature and a financial inclusion tool. An estimated five million people in the UK are considered credit invisible, and immigrants from emerging markets are disproportionately affected. Surveys indicate that nine in ten immigrants feel access to credit has become harder in recent years, while 13% of migrants report exclusion from banking services compared with 3% of the general population. By recognizing alternative data and cross-border credit histories, LemFi argues SNPL can provide a bridge product: small limits now, a path to a stronger UK credit profile over time.
Beyond the UK, LemFi plans to expand SNPL to the United States, Canada, and Europe, building on its existing presence in those regions. The company has grown rapidly since launch, supporting more than two million users and enabling remittances to dozens of countries. In January 2025, LemFi raised $53 million in Series B funding, bringing total capital to over $86 million, with backers including Highland Europe, LeftLane Capital, Endeavor Capital, and Y Combinator.
As with any credit product, responsible use will be central. LemFi’s pitch is that smarter data—plus underwriting tuned to the realities of migration—can make emergency support faster, fairer, and more accessible. If SNPL performs as designed, it could reshape a corner of remittances that has long forced senders to choose between delaying help or taking on costly, informal debt. For millions navigating new countries, that’s a meaningful shift in both timing and dignity.
