Affirm vs Klarna: Founders, CEOs and History
Affirm was founded in 2012 by Max Levchin, Nathan Gettings, Jeffrey Kaditz and is led by Max Levchin. Klarna was founded in 2005 by Sebastian Siemiatkowski, Niklas Adalberth, Victor Jacobsson and is led by Sebastian Siemiatkowski.
Company facts
Founders
Affirm
Max Levchin
Max Levchin founded Affirm in 2012 and is its chief executive officer and chairman. Affirm's official biography also identifies him as a PayPal co-founder and former PayPal chief technology officer.
Nathan Gettings
Nathan Gettings co-founded Affirm in 2012 and served as its chief risk officer. He previously co-founded Palantir Technologies.
Jeffrey Kaditz
Jeffrey Kaditz co-founded Affirm in 2012 as part of the initial group working through the HVF startup studio. He later founded healthcare technology company Q Bio.
Alex Rampell
Alex Rampell co-founded Affirm in 2012. He had previously founded payments company TrialPay and later became a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz.
Klarna
Sebastian Siemiatkowski
Sebastian Siemiatkowski, born in 1981 in Sweden to Polish immigrant parents, co-founded Klarna (originally Kreditor) with Niklas Adalberth and Victor Jacobsson in 2005.
Niklas Adalberth
Niklas Adalberth co-founded Klarna in 2005 with Sebastian Siemiatkowski and Victor Jacobsson and helped run the business during its expansion as Deputy CEO.
Victor Jacobsson
Victor Jacobsson co-founded Klarna in 2005 with Sebastian Siemiatkowski and Niklas Adalberth.
CEOs and their tenures
Affirm
- Max Levchin2014–present
Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman
Levchin founded Affirm in 2012 and leads its payment network, lending products, and no-late-fee strategy. He previously co-founded PayPal and served as its chief technology officer.
Source
Klarna
- Niclas Neglén
Chief Financial Officer
CFO and earnings-call spokesperson alongside the CEO; in August 2026 Fortune reported that Klarna planned to base its next CFO in New York.
Source - Sebastian Siemiatkowski2005–present
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
Has led Klarna since its founding, growing it from a Stockholm invoice startup into a $3.5 billion-revenue public company.
Source - Niklas Adalberth2005–2015
Co-founder, former Deputy CEO
Later founded the Norrsken Foundation, which supports impact-focused entrepreneurs.
Source
Timeline: Affirm and Klarna side by side
2005Klarna
Founded as Kreditor
Sebastian Siemiatkowski, Niklas Adalberth and Victor Jacobsson launch an invoice-after-delivery service for Swedish online shops.
2009Klarna
Renamed Klarna
Kreditor is rebranded as Klarna and expands across the Nordics and into Germany and the Netherlands.
2012Affirm
Affirm Founded
Max Levchin, Nathan Gettings, Jeffrey Kaditz, and Alex Rampell founded Affirm as part of the HVF startup studio.
2014Klarna
Acquires SOFORT
Klarna completes its purchase of German bank-transfer payment provider SOFORT, giving it scale in the DACH region.
2016Affirm
Sweep Acquired
Affirm acquired the technology, staff, and assets of personal-finance app Sweep; terms were not disclosed.
2017Klarna
Swedish banking licence
Klarna receives a full banking licence from the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority, operating as Klarna Bank AB.
2019Affirm
Walmart Partnership
Affirm began offering installment financing to Walmart customers online and in stores.
2019Affirm
$300 Million Series F
Affirm announced a $300 million Series F funding round led by Thrive Capital.
2020Affirm
$500 Million Series G
Affirm raised a $500 million Series G and said it had raised more than $1.3 billion from investors to date.
2020Affirm
Shopify Partnership
Shopify selected Affirm to power Shop Pay Installments in the United States.
2021Affirm
PayBright Acquisition Completed
Affirm completed its acquisition of Canadian BNPL provider PayBright after announcing consideration of approximately $245 million (C$340 million).
2021Affirm
Nasdaq IPO
Affirm sold 24.6 million Class A shares at $49 each in its initial public offering and began trading on Nasdaq under AFRM.
2021Affirm
Returnly Acquisition Completed
Affirm completed its approximately $300 million acquisition of online returns and post-purchase payments provider Returnly.
2021Affirm
Amazon Partnership
Affirm began testing pay-over-time options for eligible Amazon.com purchases in the United States.
2021Klarna
$45.6 billion valuation
A SoftBank-led funding round values Klarna at $45.6 billion during the pandemic e-commerce boom.
2022Klarna
Valuation reset and layoffs
Klarna cuts about 10% of staff in May and raises money in July at a $6.7 billion valuation.
2023Affirm
Affirm Card Launch
Affirm launched its debit card with pay-in-full and pay-over-time functionality.
2024Affirm
United Kingdom Launch
Affirm launched its pay-over-time products in the United Kingdom, its first market outside the United States and Canada.
2024Klarna
Return to net profit
Klarna reports a $21 million net profit for 2024 on $2.81 billion of revenue.
2025Klarna
NYSE IPO
Klarna lists on the New York Stock Exchange as KLAR in September 2025, pricing at $40 per share.
2026Klarna
FY2025 results
Klarna reports $3.51 billion of FY2025 revenue, $127.9 billion of GMV, $65 million of adjusted operating profit and a $273 million net loss.
2026Klarna
Q2 profit and guidance cut
Klarna posts a $9 million Q2 2026 net profit on $1.042 billion of revenue but lowers 2026 GMV guidance to $149-151 billion.
Acquisitions
Klarna
- PriceRunner2022Undisclosed
- APPRL2021Undisclosed
- HERO2021Undisclosed
- Stocard2021Undisclosed
- Moneymour2020Undisclosed
- BillPay2017Undisclosed
Questions about Affirm vs Klarna
Who is the CEO of Affirm Holdings, Inc. and Klarna Group plc?
Affirm Holdings, Inc. is led by Max Levchin and Klarna Group plc is led by Sebastian Siemiatkowski. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Affirm Holdings, Inc. founded vs Klarna Group plc?
Klarna Group plc was founded in 2005 — 7 years before Affirm Holdings, Inc., which was founded in 2012. Klarna Group plc's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Affirm Holdings, Inc..
How many employees does Affirm Holdings, Inc. have compared to Klarna Group plc?
Affirm Holdings, Inc. employs approximately 2,358 people, while Klarna Group plc employs approximately 2,831. Klarna Group plc has the larger workforce at 2,831 employees, compared to Affirm Holdings, Inc.'s 2,358. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Affirm Holdings, Inc. and Klarna Group plc headquartered?
Affirm Holdings, Inc. is headquartered in United States and Klarna Group plc is headquartered in United Kingdom. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Affirm Holdings, Inc. and Klarna Group plc?
Affirm Holdings, Inc. was founded by Max Levchin, Nathan Gettings, Jeffrey Kaditz, Alex Rampell. Klarna Group plc was founded by Sebastian Siemiatkowski, Niklas Adalberth, Victor Jacobsson.
Which company has a longer operating history — Affirm Holdings, Inc. or Klarna Group plc?
Klarna Group plc has been operating for approximately 21 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Affirm Holdings, Inc. has been in operation for around 14 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Affirm vs Klarna overview