Swedish digital bank Klarna is stepping into the cryptocurrency world with the launch of KlarnaUSD, a new stablecoin designed to make international money transfers faster and cheaper. The announcement came on November 25, 2025, marking a significant shift for the traditional banking industry.
KlarnaUSD is pegged to the US dollar and built specifically for global payment transactions. Think of it as digital money that stays steady in value while moving across borders at lightning speed. The stablecoin uses Bridge, which is Stripe‘s special infrastructure for creating and managing digital currencies.
Digital money that maintains dollar stability while enabling instant, cost-effective international transfers through Stripe’s blockchain infrastructure.
What makes this launch particularly interesting is the blockchain powering it. KlarnaUSD will run on Tempo, a new blockchain developed jointly by Stripe and Paradigm. Unlike other blockchains that handle various tasks, Tempo focuses specifically on payments.
It’s designed to be fast, affordable, and secure for everyday transactions.
The numbers behind this move are impressive. Klarna serves 114 million customers worldwide and processes $112 billion in annual gross merchandise value. With that kind of scale, the company is well-positioned to challenge how international payments currently work.
Global cross-border payment fees total around $120 billion annually, which is like adding an expensive toll to every international transaction. Blockchain technology could cut up to 90% of these costs.
Currently, KlarnaUSD operates in test mode, with a full public rollout planned for 2026. This timeline aligns with Tempo’s mainnet launch, also expected in 2026. The testing phase allows Klarna to fine-tune the system before opening it to all customers. Unlike digital assets that often see dramatic price swings, stablecoins maintain their value through their peg to traditional currencies.
This partnership builds on Klarna’s existing relationship with Stripe for payment processing. By adding blockchain technology to the mix, they’re creating a more complete solution for global money movement. The collaboration combines Klarna’s massive customer base with cutting-edge blockchain infrastructure. This represents a significant transformation for Klarna, which previously showed crypto skepticism before embracing active participation in digital currencies.
The broader context shows growing adoption of stablecoin technology, with global stablecoin transactions reaching $27 trillion annually. Financial institutions are increasingly turning to blockchain solutions as traditional banking infrastructure faces pressure from faster, cheaper alternatives.
Klarna’s move positions the Swedish fintech as the first bank to implement Stripe’s stablecoin stack, potentially setting a new standard for digital banking.
