# Alma

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/alma
> research date 2026-06-01 · extracted at 2026-10-03
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [Alma — official](https://www.getalma.eu/)

## Overview

**Alma** is **France's leading buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) provider**, operated by **Alma SAS** <sup>[1][1]</sup>. Founded in **2018** in Paris, Alma offers split payments (pay in 2x, 3x, 4x) and deferred payment at thousands of merchants, with a strong focus on the French market and broader expansion across Western Europe. Alma positions itself around merchant economics and responsible-credit underwriting, and operates in **France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal, Ireland and Luxembourg** <sup>[1][1]</sup>.

## History

**2018 — Founded in Paris** <sup>[1][1]</sup> by Louis Chatriot and Guillaume Desloges.

**2021 — Series B funding** <sup>[1][1]</sup>: Backing from Cathay Innovation, Idinvest/Eurazeo and others fuels growth.

**2022 — €210M Series C** <sup>[2][2]</sup>: Round led by GR Capital and Cathay Innovation pushes Alma toward a ~€2B valuation and European expansion.

**2022-2025 — Expansion across Western Europe** <sup>[1][1]</sup>: Entry into Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and beyond; added pay-later and longer instalments.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **Alma SAS** (Paris, France).

**Founders**: Louis Chatriot (CEO) and Guillaume Desloges.

**Major investors**: Cathay Innovation, GR Capital, Eurazeo, Bpifrance and others.

**Regulators**:
- **France**: ACPR (Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution), Banque de France.
- **Other EU markets**: per-country regulators under the EU consumer-credit framework.

## Technical integration

Alma is a **split-payment / pay-later BNPL** <sup>[1][1]</sup>:

| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| **Channels** | Alma app (iOS + Android) + merchant web/in-store checkout |
| **Identifiers** | Email + phone number + card number |
| **Core products** | Pay in 2x / 3x / 4x, deferred (pay later) |
| **Card network** | Visa / Mastercard (instalment debits) |
| **Merchant integration** | Plugins for major e-commerce platforms + API + in-store terminals |

## Implementations & partners

**Operator**: **Alma SAS**.

**Markets**: France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal, Ireland, Luxembourg.

**Competitors**: [Klarna](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/klarna), [Scalapay](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/scalapay), Oney, Floa (BNP Paribas), PayPal Pay in 4, [Afterpay (Clearpay in UK)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/afterpay) (Clearpay).

## Status

**Active, leading French BNPL** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>:
- **Alma SAS** (Paris).
- ~€2B valuation after 2022 Series C.
- Operates across France and much of Western Europe.

## Sources

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma_(company) "Alma — Wikipedia"
[2]: https://techcrunch.com/2022/02/16/alma-raises-210-million-for-its-bnpl-service/ "Alma Series C — TechCrunch"
[3]: https://www.getalma.eu/ "Alma — official site"

- [1] [Alma — Wikipedia][1]
- [2] [Alma Series C — TechCrunch][2]
- [3] [Alma — official site][3]

## Source

Biography extracted from [alma.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/source/wallets/alma). See `matrix.md` for standards-support matrix if present.