The broader tech-heavy NASDAQ was 1.1% higher through the last five sessions, while the Dow hit a record before backing off a bit. But the FinTech IPO Index saw the inverse of that momentum, sliding 1.6%. Toast and nCino Lead to the Downside

Affirm has partnered with eight more merchants to help their shoppers use flexible pay-over-time options.Consumers in the United States can now select Affirm as a payment option at checkout at Agape Diamonds, Discount Tire, Ever/body, FullBeauty, Garmin, Hotels.com, Living Spaces and Sweetwater, the buy now, pay later (BNPL) provider said in a Tuesday (Dec. 3) press release.Affirm’s global network has grown by 20% year over year to include more than 320,000 merchant partners, according to the release.In addition, the Affirm Card, the Affirm App and top digital wallets allow consumers to access Affirm’s flexible payment options anywhere they shop, the release said.After going through a quick eligibility check at checkout, consumers who are approved can choose a customized biweekly or monthly payment plan, including a 0% APR option available on eligible purchases, per the release.Vishal Kapoor, senior vice president of product at Affirm, attributed the growing adoption of Affirm’s payment options to “clear terms, lack of hidden fees and lack of late charges.”“With the growing demand for smarter, more transparent payment options, these new merchant partnerships are a direct response — arriving just in time for the holiday shopping season,” Kapoor said in the release.During this year’s edition of the traditional start of the holiday shopping season, Black Friday (Nov. 29), BNPL purchases accounted for 10.1% of online transactions and 7.4% of in-store transactions, according to the PYMNTS Intelligence report, “Sales, Not Sentiment, Drives Black Friday Turnout.”Heading into the holiday shopping season, Affirm saw merchants showing strong interest in 0% promotions, Affirm CEO Max Levchin said Nov. 7 during the company’s quarterly earnings call.“We’re firing on all cylinders, and we’re getting ready for a really good holiday season,” Levchin said.Affirm accounts for a third of the volume and more than half of the revenue in the U.S. pay later space, the company reported at the time.In October, Affirm upgraded its app to provide users with easier access to personalized payment terms and interest-free offers. The company said at the time that consumers think 0% APR financing options are just as valuable as, if not more valuable than, traditional discounts

Living Spaces is set to open two additional stores in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), with further expansion into major cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune planned for the coming year.