Klarna Affirms Marketing Savvy With Walmart Deal

If the folks at Klarna ever decide to diversify from installment lending, they should give marketing a go. The Swedish company seems to be an expert in getting attention—and we’re not just talking about its frequent pronouncements about how it is using AI to cut costs. More to the point: Klarna’s announcement on Monday that it will become the exclusive provider of installment loans for OnePay, a payment app offered through Walmart. 

Adding to the story’s appeal: Klarna’s rival, Affirm, currently has the Walmart installment lending business, so it is presumably losing out (Affirm shares fell 4% on Monday). Affirm said on Monday the Walmart partnership accounted for 2% of its profits in the second half of last year. As Affirm and Klarna had the same revenue in 2024, investors can quickly get a rough idea of the deal’s value for the about-to-be public Klarna.