December 4, 2025, 7:23 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Klarna is launching a new payment feature that aims to turn smartphones into contactless wallets. With Tap to Pay, the payment service introduces an NFC function directly in its app, expanding its offerings with an option likely to play a larger role in everyday life.
The service aims to bring some of the online convenience to brick-and-mortar retail, which still accounts for the majority of purchases in Europe. Tap to Pay transforms the Klarna app into a digital wallet, allowing users to pay contactlessly at the checkout. At the same time, flexible payment plans can be set up directly during the payment process. Klarna emphasizes in a press release that the feature works without an additional wallet app and that the payment process feels just like using a traditional debit or credit card.
How Tap to Pay Works
The new feature is based on near-field communication (NFC), a technology used by smartphones and cards for contactless payments. In the Klarna app, users open their digital Klarna card, select the desired payment method, and then hold the smartphone to the terminal. By default, the payment is processed via the debit method, but installment or partial payments can also be set up if needed. Klarna promises a particularly fast checkout because no additional app or card is required.
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Why the Feature Is Important for Klarna
Europe is a key market for Klarna, with a large portion of purchases still occurring in physical stores. The Klarna Card, accepted worldwide via Visa, already has several million users. Tap to Pay aims to extend this success to local retail.
David Fock, the company’s chief product officer, describes the goal of creating a payment platform that works in as many places as possible while remaining flexible. Online advantages such as immediate use or variable installments are to be made available directly at the store checkout.
These Countries Are Included at Launch
Tap to Pay will be simultaneously launched in 14 European countries. These include Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Ireland, Portugal, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Poland, and Sweden. The feature will be available on both iOS and Android.
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With this, Klarna is bringing its payment technology comprehensively to the brick-and-mortar retail of many European markets, expanding the app with a feature that can cover both traditional card payments and flexible payment models.