• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup

2

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

3

Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock

1

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup

2

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

3

Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock
BankingKlarna

Klarna goes public as millions of Americans rely on buy-now, pay-later. Experts worry it’s snowballing ‘quickly into a serious financial burden’

Sydney Lake
By
Sydney Lake
Sydney Lake
Associate Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
Sydney Lake
By
Sydney Lake
Sydney Lake
Associate Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 10, 2025, 1:03 PM ET
Sebastian Siemiatkowski, CEO and cofounder of Klarna Holding AB, center, and Michael Moritz, chairman of Klarna Bank AB, center right, during the company's IPO at the NYSE.
Sebastian Siemiatkowski, CEO and cofounder of Klarna Holding AB, center, and Michael Moritz, chairman of Klarna Bank AB, center right, during the company's IPO at the NYSE.Getty Images—Bloomberg
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.
  • Klarna debuted on the NYSE Wednesday with a $1.37 billion IPO, valuing the Swedish fintech company at $15 billion and underscoring the rapid rise of buy-now, pay-later (BNPL) services. But experts warn of mounting risks BNPL consumers face. LegalShield data shows nearly 40% of users don’t realize BNPL will soon affect credit scores.

Swedish fintech firm Klarna just made its highly anticipated debut on the New York Stock Exchange, raising $1.37 billion and locking in a $15 billion valuation. But finance and legal experts are becoming wary of the growing risks associated with the ballooning buy-now, pay later (BNPL) industry. 

Recommended Video

Klarna, known for its short-term, interest-free financing solutions for consumers, has rapidly expanded its user base to more than 111 million globally, partnering with more than 790,000 retailers. The Wednesday IPO is a signal of how large and influential BNPL options have become. According to a survey published Wednesday by LegalShield of more than 2,000 U.S. adults aged 18 to 80, a whopping three-fourths of people rely on BNPL services, which also include products like Affirm, Afterpay, and Sezzle. Even PayPal has a BNPL option. Another Bankrate survey from May shows 30% of U.S. adults say they have used at least one BNPL service.

Although Klarna and other BNPL services are growing increasingly popular—often replacing credit cards for some younger generations—that doesn’t mean they’re without risks. While the service can allow for consumers to break up large purchases into more digestible payments, if they have too many of these in place, the costs can easily rack up.

“We’re hearing story after story of people overextending themselves, juggling payments from various loan companies and banks,” Rebecca A. Carter, a LegalShield provider lawyer with Friedman, Framme & Thrush, said in a statement. “What many don’t realize is that if you aren’t disciplined about managing the payment schedules and budgeting, it can snowball quickly into a serious financial burden.”

Analysts have coined this shift from flexible financing to a “bandage for basics” ahead of the FICO pilot, according to Storyful Intelligence. 

And what many people—nearly 40% of consumers, according to LegalShield—also don’t realize is that BNPL will soon impact credit scores for people who use it to buy things like clothing, furniture, concert tickets, takeout food, or even an Airbnb stay. Starting this fall, FICO scores will include some BNPL data from consumers. Klarna is not working with FICO.

“Buy Now, Pay Later loans are playing an increasingly important role in consumers’ financial lives,” Julie May, vice president and general manager of B2B Scores at FICO, said in a statement. “We’re enabling lenders to more accurately evaluate credit readiness, especially for consumers whose first credit experience is through BNPL products.”

Complex financial tool

LegalShield also warns 45% of BNPL users have faced legal or contractual disputes from using the financing service, with 62% of those reporting billing errors and 60% forced to pay even after returning items. But many of these customers just give up, LegalShield found, and just pay incorrect charges or don’t know they have the legal right to dispute them.

“BNPL has evolved from a simple payment option into a complex financial tool that, without proper understanding and legal guidance, can gradually become overwhelming for families,” Carter said. 

To be sure, not all aspects of BNPL services are bad. They’ve given consumers more purchasing power, an interest-free option for paying off major purchases, and instant gratification for customers who would otherwise have to save up for a long time to make a high-ticket purchase. It’s also been positive for merchants in that they can have increased sales volume and expand to new customer demographics. 

Personal finance experts have also offered advice to consumers for not getting overwhelmed by BNPL payments—chiefly not spending more than you make. 

“Credit card debt is a terrible place to be. Interest rates are unbelievable, and if you find yourself in that trap, it can be so hard to get out of,” Allyson Kiel, a private wealth advisor at Synovus Bank, previously told Fortune’s Preston Fore. “If it’s a want and not a need, you should wait.”

Consumers can also expect more BNPL innovations in the future—particularly in light of Klarna’s IPO.

“This isn’t the finish line. It’s fuel,” Klarna CEO and cofounder Sebastian Siemiatkowski said in a statement about the IPO. “Fuel for us to keep disrupting, keep innovating, and keep making life easier for millions of people out there.

Subscribe to Fortune Gulf Brief. Every Tuesday, this new newsletter delivers clear-eyed, authoritative intelligence on the deals, decisions, policies, and power shifts shaping one of the world’s most consequential regions, written for the people who need to act on it. Sign up here.
About the Author
Sydney Lake
By Sydney LakeAssociate Editor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Sydney Lake is an associate editor at Fortune, where she writes and edits news for the publication's global news desk.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Banking

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Banking

t
PoliticsDonald Trump
Trump holds landmark affordable housing bill hostage over his pet issue: The ‘national emergency’ of voter ID
By Mary Clare Jalonick and The Associated PressJune 24, 2026
2 hours ago
s
BankingScott Bessent
Scott Bessent calls Mamdani ‘leader of the Democratic Party,’ touts weekly Warsh breakfasts and a new push to put every American in the stock market
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
2 hours ago
Top CD rates from major banks June 24, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
Personal FinanceCertificates of Deposit (CDs)
Top CD rates from major banks on June 24, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
By Joseph HostetlerJune 24, 2026
4 hours ago
Taktile cofounders Maik Taro Wehmeyer (left) and Maximilian Eber (right) stand side by side, smiling at the camera.
Startups & VentureVenture Capital
Exclusive: Taktile raises $110 million from Goldman Sachs, Tiger Global to automate high-stakes financial decisions 
By Camila Grigera NaónJune 24, 2026
5 hours ago
Sarah Youngwood, EVP and CFO at Nasdaq.
C-SuiteFinance
Inside Nasdaq CFO Sarah Youngwood’s AI playbook
By Sheryl EstradaJune 24, 2026
7 hours ago
Today’s top high-yield savings rates: Up to 5.00% on June 24, 2026
Personal FinanceSavings accounts
Today’s top high-yield savings rates: Up to 5.00% on June 24, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJune 24, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
Economy
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
By Jacqueline MunisJune 24, 2026
11 hours ago
Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock
Banking
Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock
By Jim EdwardsJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of gold as of June 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of June 23, 2026
By Danny BakstJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
Texas and Charlotte used to build huge McMansions—now they're copying the California design tricks they once mocked
Real Estate
Texas and Charlotte used to build huge McMansions—now they're copying the California design tricks they once mocked
By Sydney LakeJune 22, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.