Swedish fintech giant Klarna is deepening its push into the U.S. market, announcing a high-profile partnership with e-commerce heavyweight eBay. The move comes as Klarna continues to scale its presence stateside and prepares—albeit cautiously—for a long-anticipated IPO on the New York Stock Exchange.

eBay will now offer Klarna’s flexible payment options to millions of American shoppers, marking a significant expansion from their existing European relationship. Since December 2024, Klarna has already been integrated on eBay in the UK, Austria, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. Popular Klarna purchases on eBay have ranged from luxury watches and consumer electronics to fashion and collectibles—categories where high-ticket flexibility can make or break a sale.

“We have already seen clear positive results with Klarna in the UK and several European countries and look forward to giving millions of US shoppers more flexible and cost-effective ways to pay on eBay,” said Avritti Khandurie Mittal, Global Head of Payments and Financial Services at eBay.

The timing of the deal is telling. Klarna has been steadily positioning itself for a stateside IPO, having filed for a listing on the NYSE earlier this year. That momentum, however, was stalled due to turbulent market conditions, according to sources cited by Dagens Industri. While the IPO remains on ice, Klarna hasn’t taken its foot off the gas.

In March, the company announced another blockbuster partnership—this time with retail juggernaut Walmart, integrating Klarna’s payments into Walmart’s in-store checkout systems. That news sent rival Affirm’s stock tumbling, underlining Klarna’s growing influence and the competitive threat it poses in the BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) space.

Still, Klarna is clearly betting big on the U.S. Its collaboration with eBay marks a significant milestone in the company's strategy to solidify its foothold across the Atlantic—bringing more flexible, interest-free shopping to American consumers and more competition to a fiercely contested fintech battleground.

While the IPO clock may be paused, Klarna’s ambition clearly isn’t.

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Sour

Dagens Industri