Business Insider recently reported a blunt warning from Klarna’s chairman: at a post-IPO celebration in Stockholm he reminded the crowd that “we are 10 years behind Revolut.” On the surface that sounds shocking – Klarna is a 20-year-old Swedish fintech, and Revolut only launched in 2015. But Moritz’s message is less about age and more about how the two companies’ paths have diverged. In some ways Revolut has raced ahead into new territories, while Klarna has quietly built up its own strengths. Let’s unpack the claim and see where each really stands.

Revolut’s All-in-One Financial Platform

Revolut set out as a multi-currency card and very quickly became an all-in-one banking app. Today it offers payment accounts, debit cards, currency exchange, stock and crypto trading, insurance and even business accounts – essentially everything a customer might need from a bank.

It has secured major banking licenses so it can offer loans, savings and overdrafts, not just payments. Revolut now serves around 50 million customers across nearly 50 countries, making it Europe’s most valuable fintech.

• Breadth of Services: Revolut is more like a full digital bank or “super-app” for money, with accounts, cards, trading, insurance and more.
  
  
• Global Scale: It’s available in dozens of countries and is still growing internationally.
  
  
• Rapid Innovation: Revolut has a reputation for launching new features frequently – from stock trading to mobile phone plans.
  
  

All this growth and breadth can make Revolut feel like it’s years ahead: it’s chasing a full-service banking model and expanding on many fronts. In the last decade it has repeatedly relaunched products and moved quickly into new lines of business.

Klarna’s Consumer Fintech Dominance

Klarna’s history and focus are different. Founded in 2005 in Sweden, Klarna became famous for buy-now, pay-later (BNPL) financing. It lets shoppers pay in interest-free installments, and it’s embedded at hundreds of thousands of online stores worldwide. The company now claims about 111 million users globally – far more than Revolut has onboarded so far.

• Massive User Base: Klarna’s point-of-sale financing is hugely popular, with over 100M customers regularly using Klarna to check out at their favorite retailers.
• Deep Merchant Network: Klarna is literally built into e-commerce. Its “Pay in 4” and similar tools are offered at hundreds of thousands of online shops globally.
• Consumer-Friendly Model: Unlike a bank that earns from interest, Klarna’s typical transactions are 0% interest for customers. Its revenue mainly comes from merchant fees.
• New Services: Klarna isn’t standing still. It’s a licensed bank in Sweden and is testing new products, from debit cards in the U.S. to a mobile phone plan, as part of its broader “super app” strategy.

In short, Klarna’s strength is its scale in commerce. It has many more users and merchant relationships, and its core BNPL product is the market leader. Its early-mover advantage gave it strong brand recognition and business volume long before Revolut appeared.

Verdict: Different Champions

So, is Klarna really “10 years behind” Revolut? In a strict sense of product scope, there’s some truth: Revolut covers more of the banking spectrum right now, while Klarna mostly built its brand on BNPL. Revolut’s app today looks more like a comprehensive bank.

But looking only at features misses the picture. Klarna leads in scale and customer adoption. It has double the users of Revolut and dominates the BNPL niche that Revolut doesn’t focus on. Its early-mover advantage and brand recognition are real assets.

In practice, both companies still have plenty to prove. Klarna’s IPO reminds it to speed up innovation. Revolut’s rapid expansion comes with regulatory scrutiny and the challenge of converting users into loyal bank customers. Each has its work cut out.

The “10 years behind” line is provocative, but not absolute. Revolut may have rolled out more banking features in a shorter time, but Klarna has its own lead in users and commerce reach. They’re racing on somewhat different tracks. Klarna may be playing catch-up in some services, but it’s far from out of the fintech game – in fact, its “super app” ambitions mean it’s determined to close that gap fast.

Key takeaways for fintech startups

Here are a few lessons founders can take from the Klarna vs. Revolut debate:

• Growth paths differ: product breadth vs. user scale are both valid strategies.
  
  
• Narrative matters: being seen as “behind” can be reframed into a call for urgency.
  
  
• Regulation readiness is a competitive edge – Revolut leaned into licenses, Klarna took longer.
  
  
• Business models define resilience: merchant fees vs. banking revenues create very different risks.
  
  
• Market leadership can come from focus (BNPL) just as much as from expansion (super-app).

Final thought

Whether you’re more Klarna or more Revolut in your approach, the lesson is clear: pace, positioning, and product mix all shape how investors and customers see you.

At Your Fintech Story, we help startups find their growth narrative and strategy. If you want to build a story that attracts customers and investors, get in touch – we can help you scale smart.

Brex has announced a new stablecoin payment feature for its business accounts. According to the company’s September 30, 2025 press release, Brex will be “the first global corporate card to enable instant balance payments with stablecoins.”

In practical terms, Brex customers will be able to receive payments in stablecoins (starting with USDC) directly into their Brex accounts – with the amounts automatically converted to USD.

Conversely, they can send payments in stablecoins from their existing USD balances. The system will also let customers repay their Brex corporate card balances using stablecoins.

All stablecoin transactions are processed instantly and free of fees, with automatic on-platform conversion back to USD. The stablecoin payment service is slated to become generally available in the coming months (initially supporting USDC), and interested users can join the waitlist now for early access.

Why This Matters

Brex highlights several key features of this offering. The company notes it is building a unified platform “to manage both traditional and stablecoin-backed spend at scale.”

The new payment rails will settle instantly “24/7 across borders” with zero hidden costs. All activity – receiving, sending, or converting stablecoins – will be visible and managed within the Brex dashboard.

In short, the feature effectively treats stablecoins like another currency option: businesses can bring in USDC payments and immediately use or convert them without separate crypto wallets or fees.

Key Features

• Accept USDC with auto-conversion: Brex customers can receive stablecoin payments (initially USDC) into their Brex accounts, which are then converted into USD automatically.
  
  
• Send stablecoin payments: Customers can send payments denominated in stablecoins directly from their USD balances. Each transfer “settles in seconds” and carries no fees or hidden costs.
  
  
• Stablecoin bill pay: Cardholders will be able to repay their Brex card balances using stablecoins, an option managed alongside their normal USD balance.
  
  
• Global, 24/7 settlement: The platform promises round-the-clock settlement across borders, supported by Brex’s 24/7 customer service.
  
  
• One consolidated account: All stablecoin activity is integrated into Brex’s existing business accounts – companies do not need separate crypto accounts to use the feature.
  
  
• Phased rollout (USDC first): The stablecoin payments feature will launch “in the coming months,” with support starting for USDC. Brex is accepting signups to a waitlist for early access.
  
  

Strategic Analysis for Founders

Brex’s stablecoin move reflects a broader industry shift toward integrating crypto-based rails for business payments.

The announcement explicitly cites stablecoins’ role in “cross-border, large-scale business transactions” and positions Brex as a “consolidated financial platform” for both fiat and crypto spend.

From a fintech founder’s perspective, this highlights a key lesson: emerging payment technologies can be incorporated into core products to meet customer demand.

Brex is leveraging stablecoins’ speed and liquidity (instant, 24/7 transfers) while smoothing away complexity with features like auto-conversion to USD and zero fees. This design choice shows that fintech startups should focus on user experience – integrating innovation in a way that hides technical friction.

Serving Multiple Segments

Brex also signals that serving multiple customer segments is important. The release emphasizes support for “both crypto-native companies and those adopting digital assets for the first time.”

In practice, Brex is courting crypto-savvy businesses (names like Figure, Solana, and Alchemy are mentioned in the announcement) while also offering an easy on-ramp for more traditional companies.

For startup founders, the takeaway is to think broadly about who will use a feature. Brex isn’t just targeting blockchain firms; it is trying to make stablecoin payments accessible to any growth-stage business that needs fast, cross-border transactions.

Other Strategic Lessons

Other lessons are evident in Brex’s approach.

The firm touts being the first global corporate card with this capability, highlighting the PR and competitive advantage of early adoption. Founder-led fintechs can similarly look for ways to be first movers in emerging niches.

Brex also partnered with established blockchain infrastructure: a Solana representative is quoted, and Brex mentions a “trusted stablecoin infrastructure partner” backing the system. This suggests a strategy of building on proven crypto networks rather than reinventing them.

Finally, Brex is using a waitlist to manage the rollout – a common fintech tactic that lets them test the feature with early users and scale up gradually.

Key Takeaways for Fintech Startups

• Tap emerging rails: Integrating digital currencies can unlock 24/7 global payments and liquidity.
  
  
• Remove user friction: Automatic conversion to fiat and zero transfer fees lower adoption barriers.
  
  
• Expand existing platforms: Adding crypto capabilities to the main platform increases customer value.
  
  
• Serve diverse markets: Position features to work for both crypto-native and traditional companies.
  
  
• Leverage partnerships: Work with blockchain partners to speed development and reliability.
  
  
• Differentiate early: Being “first” to market can generate buzz and positioning advantage.
  
  
• Roll out gradually: A waitlist or phased approach helps manage risk and user adoption.
  
  

If you’re working on fintech innovations or have a story to tell about your product roadmap, we’d love to hear from you. Contact Your Fintech Story to share your journey and connect with investors, partners, and customers.