Italy-based Nexi has announced that US-based Affirm will become the new owner of its group company Ratepay, a Germany-based fintech and payment provider serving merchants in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Alongside the transaction, Nexi and Affirm have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to extend their existing partnership in the DACH region and to jointly identify new business opportunities.
The deal moves a specialist in pay by invoice, known in Germany as Rechnungskauf, from a European payments infrastructure group to a US-based payment network. Under its new owner, Ratepay plans to expand its offering into a broader BNPL portfolio.
Nexi presents the divestment as part of a strategy centred on core activities and an optimised portfolio, intended to generate greater value for its stakeholders. According Bernardo Mingrone, CEO of Nexi Group, Ratepay and Affirm are a commercial fit, and the change of ownership is expected to place Ratepay in a better position to develop its BNPL offering. The company expects this to benefit Ratepay’s customers as well as Nexi in its role as a partner.
The sale does not mark a full exit from the relationship. The MoU signed as part of the transaction sets out an intention to widen the existing cooperation between Nexi and Affirm in the DACH markets, while Nexi will also support Ratepay and Affirm during the transition period.
From invoice payments to a wider BNPL range
Ratepay’s business has focused on pay by invoice, a payment method in which shoppers settle their purchase after receiving the goods. Going forward, the company aims to add instalment payments and build a complete BNPL portfolio under Affirm’s ownership.
Ratepay’s management expects the combination to pair its local market expertise in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland with Affirm’s global reach, technology, and experience in credit and risk assessment. The company describes this as the basis for expanding its services to partners, merchants, and their customers.
From Affirm’s perspective, an official said that pay by invoice is popular because shoppers know exactly what they owe and when, an approach the company links to its own focus on transparency. Affirm states that its priority, together with Ratepay’s team, is to gain the trust of more merchants and consumers.
Transition and timeline
Once the transaction closes, Nexi will provide transitional support to Ratepay and Affirm, including specialist on-the-ground support and technology expertise. Closing remains subject to customary regulatory approvals, which are expected in the first half of 2027. The announcement does not specify the financial terms of the transaction.
For the DACH payments landscape, the deal brings together an established invoice payment provider and a US-based BNPL network, with Nexi retaining a commercial link through the expanded partnership.
