Swedish fintech giant Klarna is set to integrate Crypto assets into its services, indicating a strategic shift for the global buy now, pay later (BNPL) leader.
It is reported that the company plans to conduct its initial public offering (IPO) in the United States later this year.
On February 8, CEO Sebastian Siematkowski confirmed the company's plans to enter the Crypto asset market.
According to him, the company may be one of the last large fintech firms to take this step, but it is a milestone in itself.
He stated, “Klarna and I will embrace Crypto assets, and there will be more initiatives to come. All Crypto fans, tell me how we should handle it? We have 85 million users globally, $100 billion in transaction volume, and over 500,000 merchants. About 30% of the transaction volume is debit cards rather than credit cards, totaling over 1 million cards.”
While the company is willing to explore various strategies for integrating Crypto assets, Siematkowski also welcomes industry feedback to improve Klarna's approach. However, he denied the possibility of providing BNPL services for purchasing Crypto assets.
In response, community members suggested that the company could leverage stablecoins to offer users more flexibility in digital transaction settlements.
Industry stakeholders compared the company to PayPal, which launched its own stablecoin, and suggested that Klarna could take a similar approach. Others recommended integrating existing stablecoins to enhance transaction efficiency.
Nikhil Chandhok, Chief Product and Technology Officer of stablecoin issuer Circle, stated, “You can settle with merchants using stablecoins, possibly faster than the current speed.”
Additionally, community members suggested blockchain networks and DeFi protocols (including Aave, Solana, and XRPL) as potential infrastructure partners.
Siematkowski acknowledged the validity of these suggestions and noted that regulatory compliance remains a top priority.
He also emphasized that the fintech industry's view of Crypto assets is changing, admitting that compliance with regulations is now seen as a competitive advantage. This perspective contrasts sharply with the skepticism that dominated in previous years.
Siematkowski said, “Interestingly, many people emphasize that being fully compliant is a key advantage. This is a significant change compared to a few years ago.”
Meanwhile, it has been reported that Klarna is preparing for an IPO in the United States, with a target valuation of up to $15 billion. If successful, it will become one of the largest listings of the year.
Since its establishment in 2005, Klarna has rapidly expanded, serving over 85 million users and 500,000 merchants. It is currently the largest BNPL service provider in the world.
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