Google has suffered a setback in its plans for the financial services market, at a time when global regulatory authorities are increasing pressure against monopolistic practices by big tech companies .
Swedish antitrust authorities have ordered Google to pay nearly $2 billion to Klarna , after the Swedish digital payments company accused the American firm of using its market power to hinder competition in the provision of digital financial services.
Klarna, a company operating in the digital credit market with the "buy now, pay later" service, alleged that Google harmed its price comparison service, PriceRunner, acquired in 2022, in searches conducted in the United Kingdom , Sweden, and Denmark between 2008 and 2023. The Swedish company was seeking compensation of nearly US$8.2 billion.
According to the fintech company, Google presented its own price comparison service in a more advantageous way compared to competitors on its search results page. The company can still appeal the decision.
In recent years, Google has been investing in financial services, seeking to integrate payment and digital credit solutions into its ecosystem. The company has Google Pay, a digital payment platform that allows transactions in physical and online stores, and Google Plex, a digital account integrated into the company's ecosystem that offers basic banking features without fees.
Furthermore, Google has invested in credit solutions and partnerships with financial institutions to expand its presence in digital financial services, strengthening its portfolio and integration with its existing products.
The decision by Swedish authorities represents one of the biggest actions ever taken against alleged anti-competitive practices by big tech companies, reinforcing an international trend of increased scrutiny of the market practices of technology companies.
Google is one of the companies that has been feeling the weight of regulatory authorities' actions around the world. Last year, the company was condemned by a judge in the American state of Virginia for holding a monopoly in the online advertising segment.
Also in 2025, Amazon reached an agreement with US authorities to pay a $2.5 billion fine and settle a lawsuit in which it was accused of using deceptive methods to enroll consumers in its streaming service and making cancellation extremely difficult.
For Klarna, the victory comes at a time when the company is consolidating its position as one of the largest digital payment platforms in the world, especially in the " buy now, pay later" segment. The company has accelerated its global growth, expanding its customer base and diversifying its products.
Founded in Sweden, Klarna went public on the New York Stock Exchange last September, raising $1.4 billion, with a valuation of $15 billion. Around noon, the company's shares were up 3.28% at $20.91, accumulating a 26.8% drop for the year, resulting in a market capitalization of $7.9 billion.
With a customer base exceeding tens of millions of users, the company has invested in innovation and international expansion, seeking to consolidate its leadership in payment solutions, digital credit, and integrated financial services.
In this strategy, price comparison is central, considering that e-commerce is expected to undergo disruption with the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) agents, which tend to play an increasingly important role in payments and consumer purchasing decisions.
Alphabet shares rose 1.26% to $357.78. Year-to-date, the stock is up 13.5%, giving it a market capitalization of $4.4 trillion.
