Fintech

The Commonwealth Bank’s US$300 million investment in BNPL Klarna has turned from golden egg to millstone

- November 1, 2022 2 MIN READ

Commonwealth Bank-backed fintech Klarna’s Australian foray is starting to look like a disaster for the Swedish buy now pay later startup. Banking Day reports that just two years after its launch, an EY audit of Klarna Australia’s CY2021 performance reveals a net loss of $56 million, with revenue falling 71% on its first year of… Read more »

small business, payment
Fintech

A BNPL just released one of fintech’s greatest innovations – it lets people pay for something when they buy it

- February 23, 2022 < 1 MIN READ

Buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) fintechs have built their brands over the last several years selling the convenience of “budgeting” your expenses. You can have your cake now, eat it too, then pay it off over 4 interest-free payments. But there’s been growing concerns about the sector, with nearly two-thirds of Australian financial counsellors supporting clients struggling with… Read more »

Funding

Swedish fintech Klarna is now the world’s 4th most valuable fintech after US$650 million raise

- September 15, 2020 2 MIN READ

Swedish buy now pay later (BNPL) fintech Klarna is now Europe’s most valuable fintech – the 4th most valuable globally – following a US$650 million equity raise that values the business at US$10.65 billion (AU$14.54bn). The latest valuation nearly doubles the US$5.5 billion valuation following a US$460 million raise in August 2019. The round was… Read more »

Topics

5 things you should know about tech today

- March 5, 2020 3 MIN READ

1. Airbnb’s IPO may call in sick 007 is not the only one (see below) laid low by coronavirus. Airbnb’s much-anticipated IPO, previously announced for 2020, may be delayed until 2021, Bloomberg reports. Like many in the travel and tourism sector, Airbnb’s been hit hard by the sudden contraction brought on by travel bans and… Read more »