rewrite this title Klarna Applies for US Banking License – Finovate

Klarna has applied to establish Klarna Bank USA, a Utah-chartered industrial bank, marking its latest step toward becoming a full-service bank in the US.

Owning a bank charter would allow Klarna to bring banking operations in-house, reducing its reliance on partner banks while expanding its payments, savings, credit, and merchant offerings.

Klarna joins a growing wave of fintechs pursuing US bank charters in 2026, reflecting an industry shift toward owning banking infrastructure instead of relying on sponsor banks.

Digital bank and BNPL provider Klarna is the latest fintech to apply for a US banking license. The company announced today that it has submitted applications to the Utah Department of Financial Institutions and the FDIC to establish Klarna Bank USA. The newly proposed bank will be a Utah-chartered industrial bank.

Klarna’s role as a bank is not new. The Sweden-based fintech has had a bank license in Europe since 2017, and while it has been providing bank services in the US since 2019, it does so through partner banks. Originally founded in 2005 as a buy now, pay later technology provider, Klarna now counts 30 million users in the US and over 119 million active global users.

Klarna said that obtaining its own bank charter will enable it to offer a broader suite of financial services directly to consumers while reducing its reliance on partner banks. The company also framed the move as a way to foster greater competition in the US banking market. “Banking is built on trust,” said Klarna Co-founder and CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski. “We’ve seen firsthand the appetite for a fairer, more transparent approach in the US, and our own banking license is the natural next step, giving customers tools to borrow responsibly and build financial confidence, while bringing greater competition, innovation, and choice to consumers and merchants alike.”

Klarna Bank USA will operate as a subsidiary of Klarna and will have its own independent board, governance, and internal controls. Klarna has appointed Gary Harding, who served as CEO of both Milestone Bank and Prime Alliance Bank, to serve as President and CEO of Klarna Bank USA.

Having its own bank charter would allow Klarna Bank to bring its existing banking operations in-house. Klarna anticipates that removing its reliance on WebBank, its partner bank, will increase reliability across payments, savings, credit, and merchant services. Obtaining its own bank license will offer consumers more transparency and safety by bringing digital tools and traditional banking products in one place.

Klarna’s move to apply for a bank charter follows a flurry of applications in the first half of 2026. According to American Banker, two dozen neobanks, digital asset companies, lenders, investment firms, and payments providers have applied for or conditionally received bank charters so far this year.

Klarna’s application is another sign that fintechs are increasingly viewing bank charters as a strategic advantage instead of a regulatory burden. After years of relying on sponsor banks to offer deposit accounts and lending products, many fintechs have realized that owning the charter can provide greater control over product development, funding, compliance, and the customer experience. Even though the process to obtain a charter is costly and brings heightened regulatory oversight, it also gives companies like Klarna more flexibility to build long-term banking relationships with customers instead of depending on third-party partners.

Photo by Julio Lopez

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