About Philip Belamant & Zilch
Philip Belamant launched Zilch via the FCA sandbox in 2020. With a strong focus on responsible lending and advertising-driven monetization, Zilch has emerged as a top challenger to Klarna and Afterpay in the UK and US BNPL markets.Interview Q&A
- 1. What inspired you to start Zilch? We saw traditional BNPL platforms adding consumer fees. We removed those by monetizing via advertising instead.
- 2. Why use advertising instead of charging users? Ad revenue lets us offer true zero-cost BNPL to consumers—no late fees, no interest.
- 3. Who are your biggest competitors? Klarna, Afterpay, Clearpay, but none offer our ad-supported, free-to-user model.
- 4. How is Zilch positioned? We’re the only ad-subsidized, FCA-licensed BNPL in the UK. A fintech for the people, not from the people.
- 5. What’s your growth rate? We hit £145M ARR in January 2025 with 4.5M users.
- 6. Which services do you offer? BNPL at point of sale, zero fees, credit builder with Experian, fraud protection.
- 7. Are you regulated? Yes, we received full FCA consumer credit authorization in 2020.
- 8. What’s your profitability timeline? We became profitable in September 2024 thanks to our low OPEX and ad revenue model.
- 9. What partnerships support this model? Experian (credit reporting), StepChange (debt support), Deutsche Bank (liquidity).
- 10. What’s your 2025 roadmap? Expand into EU markets, improve open banking data integration, and release loyalty tools.
Services & Competitor Positioning
| Service | Zilch | Competitors |
|---|---|---|
| Installments | Fee-free, ad-funded | Klarna, Afterpay (fees apply) |
| FCA Regulation | Yes, since 2020 | Yes (varies) |
| Revenue Model | Ad-subsidized | Merchant fees, late fees |
| Credit Reporting | Yes (Experian) | In development |
| Partnerships | StepChange, Deutsche Bank | Varies |
Related Searches
- Zilch BNPL model
- Philip Belamant interview
- BNPL profitability 2025
- Zilch Experian credit builder
- FCA BNPL regulation UK
FAQ
Is Zilch regulated?
Yes. Zilch is fully authorized and regulated by the FCA under a consumer credit license granted in April 2020.
Does Zilch charge late fees?
No. Zilch does not charge interest or late fees to its users.
How does Zilch make money?
Zilch monetizes via merchant advertising and data partnerships—not from user charges.
