Bolt CEO Markus Villig talks hotly anticipated Klarna IPO in New York as he joins FinTech's board

Klarna shares jumped 30% in their New York debut on Wednesday, valuing the buy now pay later big hitter at $19.65 billion, and ending the company's years long wait for a listing. The Swedish FinTech's shares opened at $52, compared with its IPO price of $40 apiece.

"This (going public) is really an opportunity…primarily for new shareholders, our 111 million consumers and others to really partake in that journey to disrupt the financial services industry and be the next generation of personal finance," Klarna Chief Financial Officer Niclas Neglén told Reuters.

Among those in attendance was Bolt CEO Markus Villig. In a LinkedIn post, he said: “Small announcement - I joined Klarna’s board earlier this year. It was a privilege to be part of the IPO in New York. Congratulations to Sebastian Siemiatkowski (Co-founder and CEO) and the Klarna team for two decades of relentless work to get here.”

He added: “Serving on the board has been a chance to witness the ingenuity and resilience it takes to innovate in this industry - facing not only fierce competition, but also intense regulatory complexity. I’m excited to see Klarna evolve to a leading global digital bank over the next decade.”

“This IPO is also bigger than just one company. It’s proof that Europe (and especially the Nordics!) can build category defining companies that win globally.”

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Payments will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards. which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.