Startup Affirm is embedding its technology into the Apple ecosystem, allowing customers to load the company’s virtual card into Apple Pay, the startup announced today. The integration will also allow customers to use “Affirm InStore” to finance purchases at physical merchant locations, Affirm said.

The point-of-sale lender, which was founded by PayPal co-founder Max Levchin, allows its customers to use a virtual credit card, with a one-time code, to finance purchases.  The virtual card, also available via mobile app, allows customers to split their larger purchases into smaller, fixed payments over time.

The integration with Apple Pay essentially means Apple users can now use this capability via iPhone in physical stores, effectively turning Affirm into a (fully virtual) credit card provider. The startup, based in San Francisco, currently works with about 1,000 retailers for this purpose.

“I’m optimistic there will be a day when shoppers instinctively reach for their phone and the Affirm app, rather than their credit card,’’ Levchin told Bloomberg today.

Read more at Bloomberg and Finextra.