Klarna Launches Stablecoin on Stripe’s Tempo Blockchain

What Is KlarnaUSD and Why Is Klarna Getting Into Stablecoins?

Klarna has unveiled its first stablecoin, KlarnaUSD, becoming the first digital bank to issue a token on Tempo — the new layer-1 blockchain built by Stripe and Paradigm. The USD-pegged token launched Tuesday on Tempo’s testnet, with a full mainnet rollout planned for 2026.

The stablecoin is designed and issued through Bridge, the stablecoin infrastructure provider also owned by Stripe, and extends Klarna’s long-running global partnership with the payments giant across 26 markets.

Sebastian Siemiatkowski, Klarna’s CEO, said the move marks the company’s first meaningful step into crypto. “Crypto is finally at a stage where it is quick, low-cost, secure, and built for scale. This is the beginning of Klarna in crypto,” he said.

Klarna — best known for online checkout, payments and its purchase now, pay later (BNPL) services — says this is a controlled, utility-driven entry. A company spokesperson told Cointelegraph the initial focus is internal, especially using the stablecoin to reduce the cost of cross-border settlements. Klarna currently has no plans to integrate stablecoins into its BNPL products.

Investor Takeaway

Why Launch on Tempo — and Why Now?

Tempo has emerged as one of the highest-profile new blockchains of the year, developed collaboratively by Stripe and Paradigm as a payments-focused layer-1 designed for speed, compliance and institutional liquidity. KlarnaUSD is the first digital-bank-issued token on the network, and its ahead placement strengthens Tempo’s positioning as a settlement chain for regulated fintechs.

For Klarna, Tempo offers:

• Alignment with Stripe’s ecosystem where the two companies already share deep payments infrastructure.
• Lower settlement costs for global payouts and treasury transfers.
• Programmable cash capabilities for .
• A regulatory-friendly environment ahead of rising global stablecoin rules.

The timing reflects a wave of new stablecoin issuance across 2025, driven partly by clearer regulatory frameworks. In the United States, the GENIUS Act passed in July has opened the door for more compliant issuers. Meanwhile, global payments providers — Visa, Western Union, and now Klarna — are racing to embed stablecoins into settlement systems.

How KlarnaUSD Fits Into This Year’s Stablecoin Boom

The launch comes amid an unprecedented acceleration in stablecoin development:

• MetaMask launched its Bridge-issued mUSD stablecoin in September, now at an 844 million dollar market cap.
• Western Union announced plans to run stablecoin settlement on Solana using its USDPT token begining in 2026.
• Visa in July to include the Global Dollar (USDG) across Stellar and Avalanche.

The broader stablecoin market now stands at roughly 304 billion dollars, according to DefiLlama, driven primarily by:

• USDT: 184 billion dollars
• USDC: 74.3 billion dollars

KlarnaUSD enters a competitive field — but with a diverse purpose. The company is pursuing internal efficiency first, not liquidity dominance. Its stablecoin will likely function as a private settlement rail rather than a consumer-facing asset.

Investor Takeaway

What Could This Mean for the Future of Stablecoin Use?

KlarnaUSD reinforces a critical shift: traditional payment companies are moving from experimentation to deployment. The next wave of stablecoin adoption appears to be infrastructure-driven rather than retail-facing.

For Klarna, the long-term implications include:

• Lower costs for international payouts and treasury transfers.
• New programmable settlement workflows inside the Klarna ecosystem.
• Direct interoperability with other Tempo-native applications.
• A strategic position in future cross-border .

While the stablecoin is not aimed at today, the ability to move cash instantly across 26 markets could eventually reshape internal liquidity, foreign-platform costs and settlement cycles — all core components of its business model.

If successful, KlarnaUSD could also push more fintech firms toward issuing internal stablecoins, especially on compliant chains designed for .

Crypto markets have surged since the U.S. election of President Donald Trump, adding further momentum to stablecoin infrastructure announcements. Klarna’s move signals that mainstream fintech players are not waiting for a mature crypto consumer base — they are building foundational rails now.