Walmart Ditches Affirm for Klarna – Here's Why It’s a Big Deal
Podcast:Omni Talk Retail Published On: Fri Mar 21 2025 Description: In the latest edition of Omni Talk’s Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Simbe, Infios and Ocampo Capital Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga discuss: Walmart going all-in with Klarna as its sole Buy Now, Pay Later provider—ditching Affirm and integrating BNPL into its OnePay FinTech app. Chris and Anne explore why this is more than a simple switch, and how it positions Walmart to become a dominant force in payments. (0:03) – Walmart drops Affirm, partners exclusively with Klarna for BNPL (0:30) – Klarna to underwrite loans, Walmart’s OnePay to handle customer experience (1:10) – Walmart’s OnePay valued at $2B+ with $200M in annual revenue (1:54) – Why Walmart’s customers won’t notice a difference—and why that matters (2:26) – Klarna’s global reach gives Walmart valuable data and fraud prevention potential (3:06) – Is BNPL becoming the next Visa or Mastercard for retail? (3:24) – Walmart’s strategy: Growth through ownership of payment capabilities (4:26) – Signing up is shockingly easy—Chris’s experience and $60 in credits (4:42) – Walmart’s long game: becoming the “payment conduit for America” (5:08) – Why simplicity and trust in one provider can be more powerful than choice With millions of daily shoppers, Walmart’s bet on Klarna and OnePay could reshape how Americans pay. Will other retailers follow suit? For the full episode head here: https://youtu.be/K-LainhQQyY #walmart #klarna #buynowpaylater #retailtech #retailinnovation #retailtech