Afterpay vs Block: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Afterpay had ~$596.4M of annual revenue in FY2021 and a net loss of ~$102.8M. Block had $24.2B of annual revenue in FY2025 and $1.3B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
Afterpay
Afterpay reported standalone results in Australian dollars before Block acquired it. Total income rose from ~$903,000 (A$1.4 million) in FY2016 to ~$596 million (A$924.6 million) in FY2021, while FY2021 statutory loss after tax was ~$103 million (A$159.4 million). Block does not publish a comparable standalone Afterpay revenue series after the January 2022 close. Afterpay was acquired by Block, Inc. (formerly Square) in 2022 for approximately $29 billion, one of the largest acquisitions in Australian corporate history.
Block
Revenue was nearly flat in 2025, $24.19 billion against $24.12 billion, because bitcoin sales fell from $10.36 billion to $8.50 billion. Gross profit, which strips out the cost of the bitcoin Block resells, rose 17% to $10.36 billion and adjusted operating income rose 30% to about $2.3 billion. Net income attributable to common stockholders was $1.31 billion, down from $2.90 billion in 2024, a year lifted by a large fourth-quarter tax benefit. 2026 opened with a $308.7 million first-quarter net loss as layoff costs landed (about $495 million of restructuring charges across the first half), then second-quarter gross profit grew 25% to $3.17 billion with a record 27% adjusted operating margin. Block now guides to $12.51 billion of 2026 gross profit and $3.47 billion of adjusted operating income. It bought back $2.3 billion of stock in 2025, had $4.6 billion of repurchase authorization left at June 30, 2026, and pays no dividend. Block, Inc. maintains a formidable presence in the fintech space, with a market valuation generally exceeding $40 billion.
Revenue and profit by year
Afterpay
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2021 | ~$596.4M | ~-$102.8M | -17.2% | +78.1% | Source |
| FY2020 | ~$334.9M | — | — | +96.6% | Source |
| FY2019 | ~$170.3M | — | — | +85.6% | Source |
| FY2018 | ~$91.8M | — | — | +521.4% | Source |
| FY2017 | ~$14.8M | — | — | +1535.7% | Source |
| FY2016 | ~$903,000 | — | — | — | Source |
Block
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $24.2B | $1.3B | 5.4% | +0.3% | Source |
| FY2024 | $24.1B | $2.9B | 12.0% | +10.1% | Source |
| FY2023 | $21.9B | $9.8M | 0.0% | +25.0% | Source |
| FY2022 | $17.5B | -$541M | -3.1% | -0.7% | Source |
| FY2021 | $17.7B | $166M | 0.9% | +85.9% | Source |
| FY2020 | $9.5B | $213M | 2.2% | +101.5% | Source |
| FY2019 | $4.7B | $375M | 8.0% | +42.9% | Source |
| FY2018 | $3.3B | -$38M | -1.2% | +49.0% | Source |
| FY2017 | $2.2B | -$63M | -2.8% | +29.5% | Source |
| FY2016 | $1.7B | -$172M | -10.1% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
Afterpay
- Merchant fees
Not formally reported
Fees paid by merchants on transactions processed through Afterpay were the principal source of pre-acquisition income.
- Late fees
Not formally reported
Afterpay also earned capped late fees from overdue customer installments. A current standalone percentage is not disclosed.
Block
- Commerce enablement revenue47.6%
$11.51 billion in 2025: Square payment processing, software and hardware for sellers, plus Afterpay.
- Financial solutions revenue17.3%
$4.18 billion in 2025: Cash App Card interchange, instant transfer fees, Borrow and Square Loans, and banking products. It is the fastest-growing line and carries high margins.
- Bitcoin ecosystem revenue35.1%
$8.50 billion in 2025, down from $10.36 billion in 2024. Bitcoin sold to Cash App customers is booked at full value, so gross profit is small: $72 million in the second quarter of 2026.
Business model and strategy
Afterpay
How it makes money
Before the Block acquisition, Afterpay earned most income from merchant fees on purchases processed through its platform, with a smaller contribution from customer late fees. Customers generally paid four installments over six weeks and paid no interest. Block now reports Afterpay within its consolidated results rather than as a standalone public company.
Growth strategy
Block stated at closing that it intended to add Afterpay BNPL to Square checkout, let Afterpay customers manage installments in Cash App, and help Cash App customers discover sellers and BNPL offers. Subsequent expansion has focused on those seller and consumer connections.
Competitive advantage
Afterpay combines installment checkout with a merchant directory and an established consumer brand. Block can connect the product to Square sellers and Cash App customers, although Block identifies merchant retention and product integration as acquisition risks.
Block
How it makes money
Block runs a two-sided network. On the seller side, Square charges a fee on each card payment (in the U.S. on its free plan, 2.6% plus 15 cents in person and 3.3% plus 30 cents online) and adds paid software, hardware, payroll, banking and Square Loans. On the consumer side, basic Cash App transfers are free;
Growth strategy
Block's 2026 plan has four parts. Square is selling to larger and international sellers through a field sales team and independent sales organization partners; international GPV grew 28% in the second quarter of 2026. Cash App wants to be the main bank account for people with several income sources, using direct deposit and Cash App Green rewards status;
Competitive advantage
Block's advantage is owning both ends of many small transactions. Cash App's peer-to-peer network spreads by itself, since receiving money means downloading the app, and every added product (the Cash App Card, direct deposit, Borrow, Afterpay) raises revenue per customer without new acquisition cost.
Questions about Afterpay vs Block
Which company has higher revenue — Afterpay Limited or Block Inc?
Afterpay Limited had ~$596.4M (FY2021), while Block Inc had $24.2B (FY2025). By latest annual revenue, Block Inc is the larger business, with Afterpay Limited showing a smaller revenue base. Note: these are from different fiscal years and are not a direct like-for-like comparison.
What is the market cap of Afterpay Limited vs Block Inc?
Block Inc has a market capitalisation of $44.5B. A public market cap figure for Afterpay Limited was not available (it may be privately held).
How does revenue per employee compare for Afterpay Limited and Block Inc?
Afterpay Limited has $459k / employee in revenue per employee, while Block Inc has $2.37M / employee. Headcounts may use different dates, so the ratio alone does not establish which business operates more efficiently.
How do Afterpay Limited and Block Inc make money?
Afterpay Limited and Block Inc generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Afterpay Limited: Before the Block acquisition, Afterpay earned most income from merchant fees on purchases processed through its platform, with a smaller contribution from customer late fees. Block Inc: Block runs a two-sided network.
Is Afterpay Limited bigger than Block Inc?
By last reported revenue, Block Inc ($24.2B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to Afterpay Limited (~$596.4M (FY2021)). Revenue scale is one dimension of size — market capitalisation, employee count, and geographic reach are also relevant depending on the context.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Afterpay vs Block overview