Afterpay vs Klarna: Founders, CEOs and History
Afterpay was founded in 2014 by Nick Molnar, Anthony Eisen and is led by Jack Dorsey (Block parent). Klarna was founded in 2005 by Sebastian Siemiatkowski, Niklas Adalberth, Victor Jacobsson and is led by Sebastian Siemiatkowski.
Company facts
Founders
Afterpay
Nick Molnar
Nick Molnar co-founded Afterpay and served as co-CEO through the Block acquisition. Block's 2024 shareholder letter said he would lead a centralized sales function across Block, including Square, reporting to Jack Dorsey.
Anthony Eisen
Anthony Eisen co-founded Afterpay and served as co-CEO through the Block acquisition. Block said in February 2025 that Eisen was CEO and Chairman of Reshop and had joined Block's board.
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
Afterpay
- Nick Molnar2014–2022
Co-founder and Co-CEO
Co-founded Afterpay and led its seller business after the Block close.
Source - Anthony Eisen2014–2022
Co-founder and Co-CEO
Co-founded Afterpay and led its consumer business after the Block close.
Source - Jack Dorsey2022–present
CEO of parent company Block
Leads Block, Afterpay's parent company; Block has not disclosed a current standalone Afterpay CEO.
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: Afterpay 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.
2014Afterpay
Afterpay founded
Nick Molnar and Anthony Eisen founded Afterpay in Sydney.
2014Klarna
Acquires SOFORT
Klarna completes its purchase of German bank-transfer payment provider SOFORT, giving it scale in the DACH region.
2016Afterpay
ASX listing
Afterpay listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and reported ~$903,000 (A$1.4 million) of FY2016 revenue.
2017Afterpay
Touchcorp transaction
Afterpay acquired Touchcorp and the combined business became Afterpay Touch Group.
2017Klarna
Swedish banking licence
Klarna receives a full banking licence from the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority, operating as Klarna Bank AB.
2018Afterpay
United States launch
Afterpay expanded its installment service into the United States.
2018Afterpay
ClearPay stake acquired
Afterpay acquired 90% of ClearPay Finance Limited for one million Afterpay shares.
2019Afterpay
Clearpay launched in the United Kingdom
Afterpay launched in the United Kingdom under the Clearpay brand.
2020Afterpay
Canada expansion
Afterpay added Canada to its operating markets.
2020Afterpay
EmpatKali acquired
Afterpay acquired Singapore-based EmpatKali, which operated in Indonesia.
2020Afterpay
Pagantis agreement
Afterpay agreed to acquire Pagantis and PMT Technology to support expansion in southern Europe.
2021Afterpay
Block acquisition announced
Square and Afterpay announced a recommended scheme under which Square would acquire all Afterpay shares.
2021Klarna
$45.6 billion valuation
A SoftBank-led funding round values Klarna at $45.6 billion during the pandemic e-commerce boom.
2022Afterpay
Block acquisition completed
Block completed the scheme of arrangement on January 31, 2022.
2022Klarna
Valuation reset and layoffs
Klarna cuts about 10% of staff in May and raises money in July at a $6.7 billion valuation.
2024Afterpay
Afterpay marks ten years
Afterpay reported more than 24 million active customers and more than 348,000 global merchants.
2024Klarna
Return to net profit
Klarna reports a $21 million net profit for 2024 on $2.81 billion of revenue.
2025Afterpay
Australian BNPL credit rules commence
Australian BNPL contracts became regulated credit contracts from June 10, 2025.
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
Afterpay
- EmpatKali2020Undisclosed
- Pagantis SAU and PMT Technology SLU2020Undisclosed
- ClearPay Finance Limited (90% stake)2018Undisclosed
- Touchcorp Limited2017Undisclosed
Klarna
- PriceRunner2022Undisclosed
- APPRL2021Undisclosed
- HERO2021Undisclosed
- Stocard2021Undisclosed
- Moneymour2020Undisclosed
- BillPay2017Undisclosed
Questions about Afterpay vs Klarna
Who is the CEO of Afterpay Limited and Klarna Group plc?
Afterpay Limited is led by Jack Dorsey (Block parent) 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 Afterpay Limited founded vs Klarna Group plc?
Klarna Group plc was founded in 2005 — 9 years before Afterpay Limited, which was founded in 2014. Klarna Group plc's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Afterpay Limited.
How many employees does Afterpay Limited have compared to Klarna Group plc?
Afterpay Limited employs approximately 1,300 people, while Klarna Group plc employs approximately 2,831. Klarna Group plc has the larger workforce at 2,831 employees, compared to Afterpay Limited's 1,300. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Afterpay Limited and Klarna Group plc headquartered?
Afterpay Limited is headquartered in Australia 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 Afterpay Limited and Klarna Group plc?
Afterpay Limited was founded by Nick Molnar, Anthony Eisen. Klarna Group plc was founded by Sebastian Siemiatkowski, Niklas Adalberth, Victor Jacobsson.
Which company has a longer operating history — Afterpay Limited or Klarna Group plc?
Klarna Group plc has been operating for approximately 21 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Afterpay Limited has been in operation for around 12 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 Afterpay vs Klarna overview