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Klarna Expands Into Telecom: Unlimited Mobile Plan Launches in U.S.
Klarna, the Swedish fintech known for its buy-now-pay-later services, is expanding into an unexpected but growing frontier: mobile telecommunications. The company recently announced its first unlimited 5G mobile plan in the United States, marking a significant step in its strategy to evolve from a digital payments platform into a comprehensive financial services provider.
This move places Klarna among a growing number of fintech firms entering the mobile services sector—a space traditionally dominated by telecom companies but now increasingly populated by startups and digital banks looking to create new revenue streams and tighter user ecosystems.
Why Klarna Is Starting With the U.S.
Instead of piloting its mobile service in a smaller market, Klarna is beginning where it already has a strong foothold—its largest user base. With tens of millions of users across the U.S., the fintech is well-positioned to introduce new services to a population already familiar with its brand and interface.
The service will rely on infrastructure from Gigs, a mobile services startup backed by major investors. Gigs operates as a platform-as-a-service, enabling brands to offer mobile plans without owning the physical infrastructure. By leveraging Gigs’ relationship with AT&T, Klarna will be able to provide users with unlimited 5G calls and data through a branded experience, while avoiding the enormous costs of building and maintaining its own network.
From Payments to Phones: Klarna’s Neobank Ambitions
Klarna’s CEO has publicly emphasized that the company’s goal is to help users manage everyday life. That goal increasingly involves offering a broader range of tools—moving beyond payments and credit into more foundational services like banking and now, mobile connectivity.
The launch of Klarna’s mobile plan is not simply about offering another consumer product. It reflects the company’s wider effort to build out its neobank model. The fintech already provides users with services such as budgeting tools, savings features, and shopping utilities. A branded mobile plan adds a new layer to that ecosystem—one that encourages customer stickiness and data continuity.
By embedding telecom into its existing services, Klarna may be positioning itself to benefit from synergies like personalized offers, improved location-based services, or enhanced customer engagement through bundled services. This could also lead to better integration between digital payments, loyalty programs, and mobile access.
A Growing Trend: Fintechs Entering Mobile Services
Klarna is not alone in its ambitions. In recent years, several other fintechs—such as Revolut, N26, and Nubank—have explored telecom offerings, primarily as a way to expand customer touchpoints and generate recurring revenue.
The logic behind this expansion is becoming increasingly clear: as fintech firms face pressure to achieve profitability and differentiate their offerings, telecom becomes a viable add-on. The mobile services sector, while competitive, offers a predictable billing model and deep user engagement—two characteristics that appeal to fintech companies looking to stabilize their business models.
And it’s not just fintechs. Investors and brands from outside the financial sector, including high-profile names, have also ventured into mobile offerings. These moves suggest that the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) model is becoming more accessible, especially as startups like Gigs lower the technical and financial barriers.
The Risks of Moving Into Telecom
Despite the potential upside, branching into mobile services is not without risk. Analysts note that while the MVNO market is projected to grow steadily in the coming years, it is also becoming more saturated. With more enterprises attempting to launch branded mobile services, competition is increasing—and with it, the likelihood of failure for those unable to offer a compelling or differentiated product.
Moreover, managing a mobile service—even one powered by third-party infrastructure—adds operational complexity. Billing systems, customer support, technical troubleshooting, and regulatory compliance all need to be addressed carefully.
Klarna’s decision to enter the U.S. market first also bucks the trend seen in most international fintechs, which typically launch such services in smaller markets before attempting to scale in the U.S. Whether this strategy proves successful will depend on execution and Klarna’s ability to integrate mobile into its existing suite in a way that adds clear value for users.
Strategic Timing and Market Opportunity
Klarna’s expansion comes at a moment of strategic recalibration. Earlier this year, the company delayed its plans for an initial public offering. Entering the mobile space may help demonstrate a more diversified business model to potential investors in the future.
Market forecasts suggest that the U.S. MVNO segment will see significant growth over the next several years, with billions of dollars in market value projected to be added through the end of the decade. Klarna’s entry into this space aligns with a broader fintech trend of turning attention toward sectors that support consistent revenue and user engagement.
Final Thoughts
Klarna’s launch of a mobile plan is more than a side project—it’s a calculated move to deepen user engagement and add a new layer to its digital banking ambitions. As the fintech continues to expand beyond payments, its latest step into telecom signals an industry evolution: digital finance firms are no longer just building financial tools, they’re creating entire consumer ecosystems.
If Klarna can execute well in the complex telecom space and deliver a seamless user experience, it could not only set itself apart from its fintech peers but also influence how other digital banks think about growth and infrastructure.
