FICO to incorporate buy-now-pay-later loans into credit scores

I left the U.S. several years ago and have completely forgotten about "credit scores" in this sense. I get reminded every once-in-a-while how things that used to feel so obvious and inevitable and necessary for society to function are completely artificial.

Where are you now? And what is the system like there?

From my extremely naive understanding, obtaining credit and low rates is, in general, much easier in the US than other places. So it makes sense to me that it has “artificial” tools to help determine risk. How do other countries handle this and provide the availability that can be found in the US?

Banks are required to prove their loans are affordable. They can only lend someone an amount that they can prove the borrower can afford.

In my experience, rates are not low in the U.S. They are high because high risk loans are able to be granted.

The availability of debt for things like housing and cars is very complicated, but high taxes, a high degree of education, livable minimum wages, and realistic employee rights helps increase stability and decrease risk. I don't say it to be flippant. It is more complex than even I understand. It's only to say that, given that these systems are designed artificial systems, there are multiple implementations that work under various constraints and incentives.