Key Takeaway
Klarna is one of the best-known names in buy now, pay later, and it just crossed the line from private fintech story to public-market stock. The company went public on the New York Stock Exchange in September 2025, after years of speculation, pauses, and renewed IPO momentum.
That matters because Klarna sits at the intersection of consumer credit, checkout payments, and merchant distribution — a mix that keeps drawing retail attention whenever growth, profitability, or valuation shifts. Here’s what Klarna does, whether you can still buy shares, and what the realistic alternatives look like for investors.
What is Klarna?
Klarna is a digital bank and flexible payments provider best known for buy now, pay later products. Its platform includes pay-later and installment options, a consumer app, merchant payment tools, cashback and commerce features, and a debit-first Klarna Card. Klarna says customers can use its products online, in stores, and through Apple Pay and Google Pay.
The company was founded in 2005 in Stockholm and remains closely tied to that origin even though its corporate structure has changed over time. Klarna reported 118 million active consumers, 966,000 merchants, and 3.4 million transactions per day in its February 2026 results. It also reported $3.5 billion in full-year 2025 revenue and $127.9 billion in GMV, with 1,166 employees in Sweden and 530 in Germany as of December 31, 2025.
Is Klarna publicly traded?
Yes, Klarna trades publicly under KLAR on the New York Stock Exchange. Klarna’s investor-relations materials say ordinary shares began trading on September 10, 2025, and the company’s IPO closing release confirms the listing and ticker.
Klarna is no longer a private company, but its ownership still reflects a founder-influenced structure. SEC filings show a multi-class share setup, and co-founders retain disproportionate voting control relative to their economic ownership. Sebastian Siemiatkowski beneficially owned 28,555,512 shares, or 7.49% of ordinary shares outstanding as of September 30, 2025, while Sequoia-affiliated entities disclosed a 14.6% stake after the IPO.
