How does the Afterpay (ASX:APT) share price size up against US-listed Affirm?

Does the Afterpay (ASX: APT) share price look cheap or expensive when compared to US-listed BNPL Affirm (NASDAQ: AFRM)

| More on:
watching asx share price represented by investor looking up

Image source: Getty Images

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More

Many ASX-listed buy now, pay later shares eye the US market as a key growth opportunity given its $5 trillion total addressable retail market. Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT), Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) and Sezzle Inc (ASX: SZL) are the ASX players taking charge for customer acquisition and market share. 

Affirm Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: AFRM) might have slipped under the radar for many investors given the fact that its listed on the Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ: .IXIC). How does the Afterpay share price size up against its biggest US rival?

Affirm share price snapshot 

Affirm is the largest US-listed BNPL provider. The company listed on the Nasdaq on 13 January 2021 at an initial public offering (IPO) price of US$39 and an indicative market capitalisation of approximately US$10 billion.

Its shares ran as high as US$146.90 by mid-Feb or a 275% return for investors that managed to participate in the IPO. The recent tech-led selloff has seen the Affirm share price more than halve since its $146.90 high to close at $69.56 on Thursday. 

Affirm vs. Afterpay share price comparison 

Below are some of the key metrics that could be used to gauge the size of a BNPL player. 

  Affirm Afterpay
Gross Merchandise Value (USD m) 6,010 12,014
Active customers (m) 4.5 13.1
Active merchants (000s) 7.9 74.8
Market cap USD (m) 20,482 25,119
Funding capacity (USD m) 4,700 1,044

Source: Macquarie Research, March 2021 

Despite the significant market capitalisation of Affirm, the company only has regional exposure to North America. 

In comparison, Afterpay has operations in Australia, New Zealand, the UK (Clearpay), the US, Canada and Europe (Pagantis). Afterpay has also created a base in Singapore and is exploring opportunities to target the South East Asia market. 

Why does the Afterpay share price look cheap? 

The Afterpay share price is significantly ahead of Affirm across all key KPIs except funding capacity. This might make the Afterpay share price look cheap at face value.

US shares have the tendency to be more richly valued with a much deeper pool of investors and liquidity. This could be why capital intensive ASX-listed shares such as Piedmont Lithium Ltd (ASX: PLL) and Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB) are also listed on the Nasdaq. 

This may also explain why the Zip share price surged in February on the back of speculation that the company could be looking at a secondary listing in the US. This would allow US fund managers easier access to Zip shares and greater accessibility to the capital markets when necessary.

Should you invest $1,000 in Altium right now?

Before you buy Altium shares, consider this:

Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Altium wasn't one of them.

The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys...

See The 5 Stocks *Returns as of 30 April 2025

Kerry Sun has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. recommends Sezzle Inc. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Sezzle Inc. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

More on Share Market News

Happy man working on his laptop.
Broker Notes

Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

Here's why brokers believe that now could be the time to snap up these shares.

Read more »

Two funeral workers with a laptop surrounded by cofins.
Broker Notes

Macquarie just forecast this ASX 300 dividend share could surge 37%. Here's why

Atop its passive income payouts, Macquarie expects this ASX dividend stock could leap 37% in a year.

Read more »

A person in a gorilla suit leaps really high holding a banana, nearly doing the splits.
Share Gainers

Up 1,238% in a year, why is this ASX gold stock surging again on Monday?

The ASX gold stock is now well into ten-bagger range and still rising fast today.

Read more »

A happy investor sits at his desk in front of his laptop and does the mexican wave with his arms to celebrate the returns from his ASX dividend shares
Share Gainers

Why EOS, Gorilla Gold, Lendlease, and OFX shares are charging higher today

These shares are starting the week on a positive note. But why?

Read more »

A young male investor wearing a white business shirt screams in frustration with his hands grasping his hair after ASX 200 shares fell rapidly today and appear to be heading into a stock market crash
Share Fallers

Why Appen, DroneShield, Gentrack, and New Hope shares are dropping today

These shares are starting the week in the red. But why?

Read more »

An unhappy man in a suit sits at his desk with his arms crossed staring at his laptop screen as the PointsBet share price falls
Materials Shares

Does Macquarie rate James Hardie shares a buy, hold or sell?

The company is set to report FY25 earnings this week.

Read more »

A man looking at his laptop and thinking.
Industrials Shares

Which ASX 200 industrials stock does Macquarie expect to sink 40% over the next 12 months?

Can this name build it's way out of such negative sentiment?

Read more »

A woman sits at her computer with her hand to her mouth and a contemplative smile on her face as she reads about the performance of Allkem shares on her computer
Share Market News

Will ASX 200 investors get the RBA interest rate cut they're expecting tomorrow?

The RBA is widely expected to cut interest rates on Tuesday. Will the central bank deliver?

Read more »