FirstCash, Inc. is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas and operates as the leading international pawn store chain with over 3,300 retail locations across 29 U.S. states, Washington D.C., the United Kingdom, and Latin America (Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, and El Salvador). The company employs approximately 22,000 people and is indexed in both the S&P MidCap 400 and Russell 2000, indicating its scale as a publicly-traded enterprise in the alternative lending space.
FirstCash's core business model focuses on serving cash and credit-constrained consumers through non-recourse pawn loans secured by pledged personal property. Customers can pawn items including jewelry, electronics, tools, appliances, sporting goods, and musical instruments to obtain short-term cash access. Beyond pawn loans, FirstCash operates retail sales of merchandise inventory, gold/silver/platinum buying services, and a layaway program requiring 10% down payment. The company also owns AFF, a subsidiary providing lease-to-own and retail finance solutions through 15,000+ merchant partner locations nationwide.
FirstCash distinguishes itself through its massive geographic footprint and operational scale—operating over 2,500 stores across North and Latin America with a comprehensive store locator and online inventory system. The company's dual-revenue model (pawn loans plus retail merchandise sales and gold buying) provides diversification beyond lending. Their integration of technology-driven point-of-sale solutions and expansion into lease-to-own financing through AFF sets them apart from smaller regional pawn operators.
As a pawn lender, FirstCash serves consumers without access to traditional credit but requires collateral of sufficient value. Interest rates on pawn loans are not disclosed on their website. The pawn model provides faster funding than personal loans but limits loan amounts to item value and requires surrendering physical possessions. Borrowers should understand that pawn loans are non-recourse, meaning failure to repay results in loss of the pledged item rather than debt collection.