Collaboration introduces Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) travel financing strategy to Yieldstreet investors
Yieldstreet, a leading private markets investing platform, and Upgrade Inc., a fintech company offering affordable and responsible credit products to mainstream consumers, announced the completion of an agreement to purchase assets through Flex Pay, Upgrade’s BNPL financing solution. This partnership enables individual investors to target passive income from exposure to high-quality consumer BNPL loans.
The first transaction, which closed in April 2025, includes a pool of travel loans through Flex Pay’s strong partnerships with over 750 travel partners, including major airlines, cruise lines, and hotel chains.
“Upgrade has established itself as a market leader in a wide range of credit categories, including BNPL travel-related financing, with its robust origination platform,” said Ted Yarbrough, President and Chief Investment Officer at Yieldstreet. “We’re pleased to complete this transaction which will allow investors to further diversify their portfolios in private markets with exposure to consumer credit.”
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“Through this collaboration with Upgrade, we’re continuing to expand Yieldstreet’s private credit offerings with another asset class that provides exposure to a diverse portfolio of consumer obligations capitalizing on strong demand for travel experiences even in the face of the volatility currently being experienced in public markets,” said Fahd Basir, Head of Credit and Opportunistic Investments at Yieldstreet.
“We’re excited to partner with Yieldstreet to give more investors access to this rapidly-growing asset class,” said Renaud Laplanche, CEO and Co-founder, Upgrade. “Flex Pay presents a differentiated opportunity for investors and brings more affordability and flexibility to consumers.”
Flex Pay’s travel financing services are integrated into checkout pages for major brands including United Airlines (NYSE: UAL), Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), Norwegian Cruise Line (NYSE: NCLH), Carnival Cruise Line (NYSE: CCL), and Wyndham Hotels (NYSE: WH).
The platform allows travelers to finance trips with fixed monthly payments, targeting consumers who choose the service for convenience and flexibility as opposed to actively seeking credit. As of April 2025, over $37 billion in loans for more than 6.5 million customers has been originated through Upgrade since its founding, including $6.7 billion in Flex Pay travel financing.
Yieldstreet’s platform has facilitated over $6 billion in investments to date, providing individual investors with access to asset classes typically available only to institutions. This transaction marks the addition of travel financing to Yieldstreet’s growing portfolio of private market opportunities.
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