Klarna
Klarna Bank AB · Visa
Klarna is a fully licensed Swedish bank (supervised by Finansinspektionen) that, since late 2025, offers in Italy the Klarna Card — a Visa debit card that can also split payments (BNPL) — alongside a free Klarna Balance account and interest-bearing savings accounts. The base card is free; the Klarna Core (1.99 EUR/month) and Klarna Plus (7.99 EUR/month) plans add cashback and partner perks. It is not a full current account, however: no dedicated payment IBAN or direct debits are confirmed in Italy.
Data & conditions
| Account fee | Free |
|---|---|
| IBAN | nessuno |
| Deposit guarantee | EU guarantee €100,000 |
| Multi-currency | No (single currency) |
| Outbound transfers to third-party IBANs | No |
| Utility direct billing | No |
| SEPA direct debit (SDD) | No |
| On-chain crypto withdrawal | No |
| SEPA transfer | Free |
| Card included | Carta di debito Visa inclusa (Klarna Card) |
| Network | Visa |
| ATM withdrawal | Free |
| Fund custody | Custodial (platform holds funds) |
| KYC | Full |
| Supported countries | EEA |
| Regulator | Finansinspektionen |
| Segment | B2C |
| MiCA / License status | Licenza bancaria piena (Finansinspektionen, Svezia) SE banking licence (Finansinspektionen) |
Plans & pricing
Klarna Card (base)
- Price
- Free
- FX markup
- 0%
- Cashback
- 0%
- Net annual cost
- Free
- Visa debit card (on-card BNPL)
- Free Klarna Balance account
- Interest-bearing savings accounts
- 0% FX markup (declared)
Klarna Core
- Price
- €2
- FX markup
- 0%
- Cashback
- 0%
- Net annual cost
- €24
- Digital or physical card
- Partner offers
Klarna Plus
- Price
- €8
- FX markup
- 0%
- Cashback
- 0.5%
- Net annual cost
- €96
- 0.5% cashback
- Partner discounts
- Insurance
- Higher savings rates
Strengths
- A real bank with a Swedish licence and deposits covered by Sweden's guarantee scheme (Riksgalden) up to ~EUR 100,000
- Free base Visa debit card with a declared 0% FX markup
- Free Balance account and interest-bearing savings accounts
- No notable sovereignty advantage documented.
Weaknesses
- Not a full current account: no dedicated payment IBAN or confirmed direct debits in Italy
- The on-card BNPL feature exposes users to debt risk and to instalment costs that are not always transparent
- Real cashback and perks only by paying the Core (1.99 EUR) or Plus (7.99 EUR) plans
- Custodial: the platform holds your funds and can freeze or lose them.
- Full KYC required: verified identity, zero pseudonymity.
- Subject to regulation (SE banking licence (Finansinspektionen)): reporting to authorities and freezes on order.
Verdict
The 3.4 (tier B) reflects a tension: on the protection front, Klarna is a real bank with a Swedish licence and deposits covered by Sweden's guarantee scheme (Riksgalden) up to about EUR 100,000, with a free base Visa card and a declared 0% FX markup. Two concrete limits hold the score back: it is not a full current account (no dedicated payment IBAN or direct debits are confirmed in Italy) and, above all, the BNPL feature built into the card can encourage debt with instalment costs that are not always clear. Real cashback and perks come only by paying the Core or Plus plans.
Klarna stays custodial with full KYC: funds are held by a supervised Swedish bank that can block or freeze the account on the authorities' order, and every movement routes through a censorable institution. The banking licence, a strength for protection, is exactly what distances the service from the trustless model; nothing in Klarna is self-custodied.
Promp's editorial rating based on real fees and net annual cost. Promp reviews third-party products independently.
"Sovereignty" rating: score computed on privacy/anonymity (30%), fund control (20%), censorship resistance (20%), trustless/auditability (20%) and costs (10%). Same data, different weights.
FAQ
Is Klarna a real bank?
Yes: Klarna Bank AB is a Swedish bank with a full banking licence, supervised by Finansinspektionen. Deposits at Klarna are covered by Sweden's deposit guarantee scheme administered by Riksgalden, up to the statutory limit (~1,050,000 SEK, about EUR 100,000).
Does the Klarna Card in Italy have an IBAN and direct debits?
The Klarna Balance account linked to the card is used to load funds, and at the time of verification no dedicated Italian payment IBAN with utility direct debits is confirmed: check the terms. For salary and bills a full current account remains more suitable.
Sources
- Official service page Prodotto · Piani · Carta visa · Fx Data verified on Jul 12, 2026
- res.cloudinary.com Natura giuridica Data verified on Jul 12, 2026