Apple's 'buy now, pay later' programme shocked the fintech loan market. While straightforward for users, the new feature required some backstage reorganisation within Apple, including a new company.

Apple Pay Later enables consumers make four equal payments every two weeks without interest or fees. This form of 'charge me later' payment is widespread in online retail at checkout, where Affirm and Klarna offer easy methods to overcome 'confirm order' hesitation.

Apple is a consumer tech company, while lending and credit are financial services with their own standards. An organisation must meet these conditions to have its loans insured, get specific interest rates, etc.

Apple has collaborated with payment companies and others to make Apple Pay and Wallet operate, but Pay Later is the first time the corporation is handling loans, risk management, and credit checks directly.

Apple recently added a contactless card payment option for iPhone checkout and paid $150 million for British banking firm Credit Kudos.

To accomplish it internally, Apple formed Apple Financing LLC, the company confirmed to TechCrunch after Bloomberg broke the news today.

This company will analyse and issue credit in accordance with regulations and receive relevant permits. In a fire, only the LLC burns.

Apple didn't acquire a bank licence for its new Financing LLC, while banks are often lenders. Pay Later uses the Mastercard Installments programme and partners with Goldman Sachs as the Mastercard credential supplier.

You'll need a debit card to sign up; you can't pay off credit with more credit. Apple will do a 'soft' credit pull to make sure you're good with the credit gods without setting off bells.

Several highly valued BNPL startups are likely to benefit from the new feature. Apple will take a huge bite out of their company with Pay Later; even.

If many businesses don't adopt Apple Pay and want instalment plans, they'll face pressure to match Apple's minimal terms and cost to retailers. This fintech area will soon change.