Klarna’s IPO Marks a Resurgence in Public Market Enthusiasm
Klarna, the Swedish buy now, pay later (BNPL) pioneer, has finally made its public debut after years of anticipation. Priced at $40 per share, the IPO raised $1.37 billion, cementing a $15 billion valuation. This offering signals a thaw in the frozen IPO market, joining a recent wave of successful public listings.
The BNPL model, which gained traction during the pandemic, allows consumers to split purchases into interest-free or low-fee installments. Klarna's ecosystem includes merchant partnerships, an AI-powered shopping assistant, and a proprietary card for seamless checkout. Its integrations with major payment platforms like Google Pay further expand its reach.