European tech startups are increasingly staying in Europe rather than moving to Silicon Valley, as AI adoption, improved access to capital and the ecosystem effects of success stories such as Spotify and Klarna reshape the market. Swedish startups cite customer wins and higher valuations, while investors and executives describe a broader structural shift. Late-stage funding remains a challenge, but AI is seen as helping firms scale faster with less capital. Talent flows and competing views on Silicon Valley persist.

Google has added installment payment options from Affirm and Klarna to Google Pay. Users can choose pay-later installments on the payment screen through dedicated buttons, running on Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol-based platform. Klarna and Google said the move reflects shopping shifting toward conversational, AI-based environments and highlights the importance of secure, trusted payment options. Google did not disclose rollout countries, partner expansion plans or fee structures.