Klarna Embraces Crypto as It Prepares for $15B IPO
10.02.2025 15:00 2 min. read Alexander Stefanov SHARE: 0 SHARES Klarna, the Swedish fintech leader, has finally bowed to the growing demand from its vast user base, officially announcing plans to incorporate cryptocurrency services. This move comes as the company prepares for a major milestone—its long-awaited U.S. initial public offering (IPO), scheduled for April with an estimated valuation of up to $15 billion, positioning it as one of the year’s largest market listings. Klarna’s CEO, Sebastian Siemiatkowski, shared his excitement on X, humorously acknowledging that they were the last major fintech company to adopt crypto. He remarked, “Ok. I give up. Klarna and I will embrace crypto! More to come… Last large fintech in the world to embrace it. Someone had to be last.” Siemiatkowski also encouraged crypto enthusiasts to offer suggestions on how the company should engage with this new venture, highlighting Klarna’s extensive reach with over 85 million users and 0.5 million merchants. The announcement has generated significant buzz within the crypto and fintech communities, with industry figures proposing ideas such as adding Bitcoin to Klarna’s balance sheet or integrating crypto services into existing platforms like Cosmos and Solana. Frank Schuil, co-founder and chairman of Safello AB, a prominent Nordic crypto exchange, pointed out that Klarna’s $14.6 billion valuation and $96 billion gross merchandise value in 2023 could potentially revolutionize the fintech space by enabling crypto transactions in its Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) model. This could result in Klarna processing billions in digital assets. Founded in 2005, Klarna rose to prominence, becoming Europe’s most valuable startup in 2021 with a $46 billion valuation. Its move into the crypto sector may act as a signal to other traditional financial institutions, showing that there is still immense potential for innovation, even for those entering the space later than others. SHARE: 0 SHARES QR for the Bitcoin/Ethereum Address: QR for the Bitcoin/Ethereum Address: