Getty ImagesShares in buy-now, pay-later lender Klarna jumped on their first day of public trading in the US, giving the firm a market value of more than $19bn (£14bn).
It marks a significant milestone for the Swedish lending giant, which has cast itself as a challenger to credit cards and traditional banks.
Founded in 2005, the company is known for allowing shoppers to pay for purchases in smaller, interest-free instalments and has proven popular, with more than 100 million active users across 26 countries.
But the firm has faced ongoing questions about the risk that its business model could lead people to spend beyond their means.
Klarna handled transactions worth $105bn last year. It is a major global player in the shopping space, entering the UK in 2014 and the US in 2019.
In its home country of Sweden, more than 80% of adults used the service last year, according to the company.
In a message to staff shared by the company, chief…
