(Reuters) -Swedish firm Klarna said on Tuesday it was aiming for a U.S. listing valuing the company at up to $14 billion, as it seeks to capitalize on renewed investor interest in high-growth fintech startups after an extended lull.
The company, which has been eyeing a New York listing for years, paused its plans in April due to choppy global markets after U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs on major trading partners.
The buy now, pay later lender and some of its investors plan to sell
34.3 million shares in the IPO at prices expected to be between $35 and $37, aiming to raise up to $1.27 billion.
Klarna caught investors' attention after its valuation soared from $5.5 billion to $46.5 billion in just about two years following three rounds of funding between mid-2020 and 2021.
After years of dormancy, companies that had delayed public debuts are testing investor appetite again, driven by calmer markets and renewed confidence. Early tech listings have drawn strong interest, suggesting a cautious but real revival of market activity in a dormant market.
Buy now, pay later services let shoppers split purchases into smaller, interest-free instalments over weeks or months, instead of paying upfront.
Klarna's push into the U.S. highlights the growing demand for these services, especially among younger shoppers seeking flexible payment options.
It has also launched banking products and partnered with leading global brands such as fast-fashion retailers Zara and H&M, luxury-bag maker Coach and cosmetics giant Sephora.
The company had about 111 million active consumers and roughly 790,000 merchants in 26 countries as of June 30.
Klarna has applied to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "KLAR".
Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley are the lead underwriters.
(Reporting by Manya Saini in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur and Pooja Desai)
