KT vs KLAR Comparison

KT is South Korea's largest fixed-line telecom operator, with around 11.5 million fixed-line broadband customers and 9.5 million IPTV customers, and is the second-largest wireless operator with 28 million subscribers. Additionally, it has a number of nontelecom businesses, including real estate, payment processing, artificial intelligence, and IDC/cloud services, many of which are the focus of its growth strategy. The company was formed from the previously government-owned, monopoly telecom business and was listed in 1998. After selling its mobile business in 1994 (forming its mobile competitor, SK Telecom), KT created its own mobile operator in 1997.

Klarna is the largest pure-play in the buy now, pay later space. The company operates a two-sided network with a payment method at its core, but it is ultimately a lender. Merchants sign up with Klarna to increase turnover in their stores. Primarily, Klarna can provide merchants with higher conversion rates and average order values relative to other payment methods. Some merchants enter a symbiotic relationship with Klarna, advertising its brand on the product page to drive conversion and to benefit from Klarna's brand value in the merchant's sales funnel. Customers use Klarna for its ease of use, quick access to credit, zero-interest financing, and lower reminder fees.