Core Insights - Klarna recently celebrated its $15 billion IPO, but the chairman highlighted that the company is significantly lagging behind its competitor, Revolut, by 10 years [1][3]. Company Overview - Klarna, a Swedish fintech, has approximately 111 million users and primarily generates revenue through merchant-funded zero-percent interest financing [9]. - The company is currently limited to payments and short-term lending, although it has initiated a US debit card pilot to expand into traditional banking and work towards its "super app" ambitions [8]. Competitor Analysis - Revolut, founded in 2015, has over 52 million customers and has evolved from a prepaid foreign exchange card to a comprehensive financial platform, aiming to become a full-service global bank [4]. - The stark comparison made by Klarna's chairman indicates a need for Klarna to accelerate its growth and diversification to compete effectively with Revolut [3]. Recent Developments - Klarna went public on the New York Stock Exchange, raising approximately $1.37 billion, which has contributed to its valuation of $15 billion [10]. - The CEO, Sebastian Siemiatkowski, engaged employees with a unique performance at the company's conference, emphasizing the importance of celebrating milestones while acknowledging the competitive landscape [2].
Klarna chairman sent a stark post-IPO message to CEO: 'We're 10 years behind Revolut'