Klarna vs PhonePe: Founders, CEOs and History
Klarna was founded in 2005 by Sebastian Siemiatkowski, Niklas Adalberth, Victor Jacobsson and is led by Sebastian Siemiatkowski. PhonePe was founded in 2015 by Sameer Nigam, Rahul Chari, Burzin Engineer and is led by Sameer Nigam.
Company facts
Founders
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.
PhonePe
Sameer Nigam
Sameer Nigam co-founded PhonePe in 2015. While serving as the Senior Vice President of Engineering at Flipkart, he witnessed the absolute nightmare of processing massive cash-on-delivery payments in India.
Rahul Chari
Rahul Chari co-founded PhonePe in 2015 alongside Sameer Nigam. As a highly experienced technical architect (he previously served as VP of Engineering at Flipkart), he built PhonePe's incredibly robust backend infrastructure, ensuring the app could smoothly pro…
Burzin Engineer
Burzin Engineer co-founded PhonePe in 2015. He played an absolutely critical role in building the core architecture and maintaining the intense reliability of the platform's early UPI integration, acting as the Chief Reliability Officer to ensure seamless bank…
CEOs and their tenures
Klarna
- 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
As Co-Founder, he served as Deputy CEO, scaling the company across Europe before resigning in 2015 to found the Norrsken Foundation, a tech-focused philanthropic fund.
Source - Niclas Neglén2021–present
Chief Financial Officer
As CFO, he engineered the severe cost-cutting measures required to drive the company back toward profitability ahead of its highly anticipated US IPO.
Source
PhonePe
- Sameer Nigam2015–present
Founder & CEO
Nigam holds a computer engineering degree from the University of Mumbai and an MBA from The Wharton School. His technological foresight built the largest digital payments pipeline in India.
Source - Burzin Engineer2015–2024
Co-Founder
Burzin Engineer co-founded PhonePe in 2015 alongside Sameer Nigam and Rahul Chari.
Source
Timeline: Klarna and PhonePe 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.
2010Klarna
Sequoia Capital Invests
Sequoia Capital invested in Klarna in 2010.
2014Klarna
Acquires SOFORT
Klarna completes its purchase of German bank-transfer payment provider SOFORT, giving it scale in the DACH region.
2015Klarna
US Launch
Klarna launched in the United States in 2015.
2015PhonePe
PhonePe incorporated in Bengaluru by Sameer Nigam, Rahul Chari, and Burzin Engineer.
2016PhonePe
Acquired by Flipkart in April; launches India's first UPI consumer app in August ahead of demonetization.
2017Klarna
Swedish banking licence
Klarna receives a full banking licence from the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority, operating as Klarna Bank AB.
2018PhonePe
Walmart acquires 77% of Flipkart Group, becoming the ultimate majority owner of PhonePe.
2020PhonePe
Successfully migrates millions of users to multi-bank architecture in 24 hours during Yes Bank crisis; launches insurance.
2021Klarna
$45.6 billion valuation
A SoftBank-led funding round values Klarna at $45.6 billion during the pandemic e-commerce boom.
2021PhonePe
Crosses 1 billion monthly UPI transactions, cementing #1 market share in Indian digital payments.
2022Klarna
Valuation reset and layoffs
Klarna cuts about 10% of staff in May and raises money in July at a $6.7 billion valuation.
2022PhonePe
Completes corporate separation from Flipkart; reverse-flips domicile to India; acquires Indus OS.
2023PhonePe
Raises $850 million at a $12 billion valuation from General Atlantic, Tiger Global, and Walmart; launches Share.Market.
2024Klarna
Return to net profit
Klarna reports a $21 million net profit for 2024 on $2.81 billion of revenue.
2024PhonePe
Launches Indus Appstore nationwide; surpasses 550 million registered users and 40 million merchants.
2025Klarna
NYSE IPO
Klarna lists on the New York Stock Exchange as KLAR in September 2025, pricing at $40 per share.
2025PhonePe
Files a confidential DRHP for an Indian IPO; FY25 revenue rises 40% to ~$825 million (₹7,115 crore) and net loss narrows to ~$200 million (₹1,727 crore).
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.
2026PhonePe
Pauses its IPO in March, citing market volatility. Crosses 700 million registered users in April.
Acquisitions
Klarna
- PriceRunner2022Undisclosed
- APPRL2021Undisclosed
- HERO2021Undisclosed
- Stocard2021Undisclosed
- Moneymour2020Undisclosed
- BillPay2017Undisclosed
PhonePe
- Indus OS (Indus App Bazaar)2022$60M
- WealthDesk & OpenQ2022$75M
- GigIndia2022$12M
Questions about Klarna vs PhonePe
Who is the CEO of Klarna Group plc and PhonePe?
Klarna Group plc is led by Sebastian Siemiatkowski and PhonePe is led by Sameer Nigam. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Klarna Group plc founded vs PhonePe?
Klarna Group plc was founded in 2005 — 10 years before PhonePe, which was founded in 2015. Klarna Group plc's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger PhonePe.
How many employees does Klarna Group plc have compared to PhonePe?
Klarna Group plc employs approximately 2,831 people, while PhonePe employs approximately 20,000. PhonePe has the larger workforce at 20,000 employees, compared to Klarna Group plc's 2,831. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Klarna Group plc and PhonePe headquartered?
Klarna Group plc is headquartered in United Kingdom and PhonePe is headquartered in India. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Klarna Group plc and PhonePe?
Klarna Group plc was founded by Sebastian Siemiatkowski, Niklas Adalberth, Victor Jacobsson. PhonePe was founded by Sameer Nigam, Rahul Chari, Burzin Engineer.
Which company has a longer operating history — Klarna Group plc or PhonePe?
Klarna Group plc has been operating for approximately 21 years, making it the more established of the two companies. PhonePe has been in operation for around 11 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 Klarna vs PhonePe overview