Klarna accelerates UK expansion with new London office

By Megha Bhattacharya

Global banking, payments and shopping service Klarna has accelerated its UK expansion with a new office in London and larger premises in Manchester as it continues to expand across the country. Klarna’s announcement follows a year of substantial growth and a $31bn valuation following its most recent $1bn funding round. It now serves over 14 million consumers and over 13,000 retailers in the UK. With over 200 staff across the country, the new offices will allow Klarna to grow, with plans to double its headcount in the UK over the next year.

Alex Marsh, Head of Klarna UK said, “These investments in new office space not only demonstrate our considerable growth but also underline our ambitions to be an increasingly important part of the UK economy – shaping the future of how we shop, bank and pay.”

Recently, Klarna teamed up with Swedish cryptocurrency broker Safello for bringing its open banking service on the latter’s platform for cryptocurrency trading. Safello has rolled out Klarna Open Banking with an aim to strengthen its market position and enhance its range of payment options. The partnership will enable around 180,000 Safello users to directly purchase cryptocurrencies from their bank account, using Klarna’s secure payment solution.

“The response we saw to the pandemic from our teams was so impressive and the considerable growth we achieved over the last year is testament to their dedication to our merchants and customers in tough circumstances. I know many are eager to get back into the office to work together in person again. I’m certain the spaces we are creating for our teams and the flexible arrangements we have put in place will help them be even more creative and productive.”