Swedish fintech firm, Klarna, is setting its sights on large-scale banking corporations like JPMorgan and Bank of America as it prepares to launch its own retail-banking services. This served as a strategic move towards the firm’s upcoming initial public offering (IPO). With a comprehensive plan to provide new features such as savings accounts and debit cards, Klarna aims to separate itself from traditional banking institutions and evolve into a fully-fledged bank.
These additions to its financial portfolio are anticipated to significantly boost revenue ahead of the planned IPO. As a symbol of Klarna’s growth and success in the fiercely competitive fintech market, this expansion into mainstream banking indicates the firm’s ambition to offer an appealing alternative to customers and disrupt traditional banking.
Despite facing challenges in its attempt to revolutionize the banking industry, Klarna’s history of innovation and customer-centric approach positions it to compete with traditional banks. The developments leading to their IPO will be a telling sign of their readiness to tread this new ground and achieve long-term success.
With a view to broaden its capabilities, Klarna plans to introduce retail banking features into its app for users in the U.S. and most parts of Europe. This move from its well-known ‘pay later’ business scheme is in preparation for the expected IPO.
Klarna’s venture into retail banking pre-IPO
The company is also set to venture into personalized savings accounts and real-time salary deposits among other consumer services. Klarna not only seeks to diversify its offerings but modernize the digital banking experience.
The newly introduced services are designed to enhance Klarna’s customers’ banking experience across 12 countries. These features allow users to transfer money to a newly established digital wallet, ‘Klarna Balance’. In its endeavor to offer comprehensive financial solutions, Klarna revealed plans to add an in-store payment solution to the digital wallet.
Users will also be able to set up recurring payments for utilities like electricity, internet, and rent directly from the wallet. With all transactions encrypted to ensure user safety, Klarna is incentivizing usage by planning to provide cashback rewards for certain transactions made through Klarna Balance.
‘Klarna Balance’ offers benefits such as cashback rewards on purchases made through the app, and instant refunds for returns, aiming to simplify the shopping procedure. Klarna’s venture into conventional banking signifies a planned growth strategy, and strengthens market position ahead of a potential IPO. With this integration, Klarna aims to bridge the traditional banking and digital world gap seamlessly.
