1 8 . ▁By ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁the ▁company ▁revealed ▁that ▁it ▁had ▁approximately ▁over ▁ 2 ▁million ▁active ▁users ▁and ▁ 6 , 5 0 0 ▁mer ch ants ▁in ▁the ▁US ▁and ▁announced ▁a ▁strateg ic ▁partners hip ▁with ▁Vis a ▁Inc . ▁in ▁the ▁US ▁to ▁help ▁it ▁ac quire ▁new ▁mer ch ants ▁by ▁sm o othing ▁integration ▁processes . ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁After pay ▁entered ▁into ▁a ▁share ▁purchase ▁agreement ▁to ▁purchase ▁Clear pay , ▁a ▁UK ▁based ▁buy ▁now ▁pay ▁later ▁subs idi ary ▁of ▁Think sm art . ▁Under ▁the ▁Ag re ement , ▁After pay ▁acquired ▁ 9 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁equ ity ▁in ▁Clear pay ▁for ▁total ▁consideration ▁of ▁ 1 ▁million ▁After pay ▁shares . ▁After pay ▁has ▁the ▁option ▁to ▁purchase ▁the ▁remaining ▁ 1 0 % ▁in ▁any ▁time ▁ 5 ▁years ▁subsequent ▁to ▁the ▁purchase . ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁After pay ▁announced ▁that ▁it ▁had ▁launched ▁in ▁the ▁UK ▁under ▁the ▁Clear pay ▁brand . ▁In ▁its ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁financial ▁year ▁update , ▁the ▁company ▁announced ▁that ▁its ▁growth ▁in ▁the ▁UK ▁was ▁faster ▁than ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁US , ▁with ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁customers ▁in ▁the ▁UK ▁over ▁its ▁first ▁ 1 5 ▁weeks . ▁ ▁Crit ic ism ▁and ▁reg ulation ▁Some ▁news ▁out lets ▁have ▁called ▁After pay ▁a ▁scheme ,