Klarna CEO: ‘We Will Embrace Crypto’

Klarna Eyes Crypto Integration

Swedish payments giant Klarna is looking to integrate cryptocurrency into its services, according to CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski. In a Feb. 8 post, he invited suggestions from industry leaders on how Klarna could adopt digital assets.

One of the kids was so happy about crypto, Klarna, Bitcoin so we made a song.

If I get enough likes I promise to push @svt to let me perform it at Eurovision 😉

Honestly Gothenburg was good but in Luleå this could have had a chance https://t.co/rwH8QYEPhZ pic.twitter.com/qzoeB7QrZP

— Sebastian Siemiatkowski (@klarnaseb) February 9, 2025

Crypto Industry Responds

Siemiatkowski’s post attracted responses from major crypto executives. Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire suggested using USD Coin (USDC), while Immutable’s Robbie Ferguson proposed applying Klarna’s “buy now, pay later” model to gaming assets, an industry worth $150 billion.

Klarna’s competitors, PayPal and Revolut, have already integrated crypto. PayPal launched its stablecoin, PYUSD, in 2023, while Revolut offers trading for 175 cryptocurrencies.

Changing Views on Crypto

Siemiatkowski’s embrace of crypto is a shift from his past skepticism. In 2022, he called Bitcoin a “decentralized Ponzi scheme” and criticized high transaction fees. In 2021, he admitted he didn’t fully understand blockchain technology.

Despite this, he recently shared an AI-generated song about crypto, referencing Bitcoin, Binance, and NFTs.

IPO Plans in the U.S.

Klarna, founded in 2005, is preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) in the U.S., according to the Financial Times. The company processes around $100 billion in transactions annually.