Most exchange guides answer “where.” For Sweden, “whether” comes first. The answer is usually no. The one exception most pages miss is old Swedish banknotes: since September 2026 they cost more to redeem, and the window may close in 2027.
When you need this
You’re packing and wondering whether to buy kronor at home. You’ve just landed and there’s an exchange counter by the arrivals exit. You have euros or Norwegian kroner in your wallet, or a stack of kronor on your last day. Or you found some Swedish notes in a drawer from a trip years ago.
Do you need to exchange at all?
Probably not. Sweden runs on cards: the Riksbank’s Payment Report 2026 found that 92% of in-store purchases are made by card, and cash was used for just 5% of people’s most recent purchases. A contactless Visa or Mastercard charged in kronor covers almost everything. Our guide to paying by card in Sweden covers the details.
Cash still has one guaranteed place to go. Since 1 July 2026, grocery stores and pharmacies with a staffed checkout must accept it for small payments, so a small reserve always has somewhere to go. More in can you pay with cash in Sweden.
Buying kronor you don’t spend costs you twice: once when you buy and again when you sell back, both at rates the counter chooses.
Where to get kronor if you want some
Swedish consumer guidance from the Konsumenternas bureau and Finansinspektionen (FI), the financial supervisor, is consistent. Pay by card in the local currency. For cash, an ATM is usually cheaper than an exchange office.
In Sweden that means a Bankomat, the banks’ shared ATM network. Bankomat charges no fee of its own, though your card issuer may. When the screen offers to charge you in your home currency, choose SEK. A few hundred kronor withdrawn after landing is plenty for most trips. See ATMs in Sweden for withdrawal caps and how to find a machine.
Need euros for Finland or the Baltics next? Some Bankomat machines also dispense euros, US dollars and pounds, and a few stock Danish or Norwegian kroner. They are charged in SEK at Bankomat’s posted rate with no further markup. The Hitta Bankomat app shows which machines have them.
| Option | Cost to you | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Card, charged in SEK | Your bank’s foreign fee, if any | Almost every purchase |
| Bankomat withdrawal | No Bankomat fee; your issuer’s fee may apply | A small cash reserve |
| Exchange counter | The counter’s own rate, plus any fee | Cash in another currency, or selling back notes |
| Buying kronor at home | Your home provider’s rate, then again to sell back | Rarely worth it |
Exchange counters: rates, ID and receipts
There are no official exchange rates for buying currency. Each bank or exchange office sets its own rate, and fees may come on top. A “no commission” sign tells you nothing; the margin is in the rate.
The yardstick is the Riksbank’s daily reference rate, published at 16:15 on Swedish banking days. The ECB has set these rates since 27 November 2023, and the Riksbank converts them to kronor. The Riksbank calls them indicative and not for transactions, but comparing a counter’s rate with them shows you what the counter is charging.
The biggest chain is FOREX Bank, with about 80 stores across the Nordics, including at Arlanda, Landvetter and Malmö airports. Three things to know before you queue:
- Bring your passport. Exchange businesses must be registered with FI and follow anti-money-laundering rules. FOREX accepts passports from any country and EU, Schengen or EEA national ID cards, and scans them. It may ask where the money came from and what it is for, however small the amount.
- Keep the receipt. FOREX buys back currency you bought from it without a fee if you show the receipt. Without it, the fee is 50 kr.
- Use registered businesses only. If notes you exchanged turn out to be counterfeit, the loss is yours, not the bank’s.
What to do with leftover kronor
Plan the last day. Spend notes and coins at a supermarket till — grocery stores must take cash for small payments. If you have more notes than you can spend, sell them back at a FOREX store. That’s free with your original FOREX receipt, 50 kr without, or 25 kr extra to have the money paid into an account. FOREX buys back banknotes only, so spend the coins first.
Carrying a lot of cash out? Anyone carrying EUR 10,000 or more into or out of Sweden must declare it to Swedish Customs, including within the EU since 1 April 2026. See declaring cash at the Swedish border.
Old Swedish banknotes and coins
Sweden replaced its notes and coins in 2015–2017, and the old ones are now worthless in shops and banks. The 20, 50 and 1,000 kr notes became invalid after 30 June 2016, and the 100 and 500 kr notes after 30 June 2017. Banks will not exchange them. Only the Riksbank, Sweden’s central bank, redeems them.
Here is how redemption (inlösen) works:
- Apply online with BankID, or on the Riksbank’s PDF form if you don’t have BankID.
- Explain where the notes came from. The Riksbank assesses applications under the Riksbank Act and money-laundering law.
- Post the notes with the form to Sveriges riksbank, Inlösen, 103 37 Stockholm. You can’t hand them in in person, and the Riksbank never returns notes it has received, even if it refuses the application.
- Get paid in SEK into your account, which can be a foreign account (IBAN) if it accepts SEK. From 5,000 kr you need an account certificate; from 10,000 kr, a witnessed copy of your passport as well. It normally takes 3–4 weeks.
Two dates matter. The fee rose from 200 to 300 kr per application on 1 September 2026, deducted from the total. If your old notes add up to less than about 300 kr, you’ll get nothing back. And the Riksbank has proposed ending redemption for notes invalid more than ten years, from 1 July 2027. For the 2016–2017 notes, that would close the window. It is still a proposal, but if you hold old notes, don’t wait.
Old coins are simpler: the 1, 2 and 5 kr coins replaced in 2017 cannot be redeemed at banks or the Riksbank. The Riksbank says they can be treated as scrap metal. A coin dealer is the only option if you think one has collector value.
Mistakes to avoid
- Buying a cash float at the airport “to be safe.” A card and, if you want it, a small Bankomat withdrawal does the job.
- Trusting “no commission” signs. Compare the rate with the Riksbank’s instead.
- Offering euros at the till. Sweden is in the EU but uses the krona, and euros are not generally accepted.
- Throwing away the exchange receipt, then paying 50 kr to sell back.
- Mailing valid notes to the Riksbank. It redeems only invalid notes, and it keeps whatever it receives.
Practical information
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bankomat ATM fee | 0 kr from Bankomat; your card issuer may charge |
| Exchange-office margin | Not regulated; compare with the Riksbank reference rate |
| FOREX buy-back | Free with receipt; 50 kr without; 25 kr to pay into an account |
| ID at exchange counters | Passport or EU/Schengen/EEA national ID card |
| Riksbank redemption fee | 300 kr per application (was 200 kr until 31 August 2026) |
| Riksbank redemption address | Sveriges riksbank, Inlösen, 103 37 Stockholm (post only) |
| Old coins | No redemption anywhere |
| Cash declaration | EUR 10,000 or more, into or out of Sweden |
FAQ
Should I exchange money before going to Sweden?
Usually not. Swedes make 92% of in-store purchases by card, so a contactless Visa or Mastercard charged in kronor covers almost everything. Exchange offices set their own rates, and Swedish consumer guidance says an ATM is usually cheaper than a counter. If you want a small float, withdraw a few hundred kronor from a Bankomat after landing.
Where is the best place to exchange currency in Sweden?
For kronor, usually a Bankomat ATM rather than a counter: Bankomat charges no fee of its own, though your bank may. If you do use a counter, FOREX Bank is the largest chain, with stores in cities and at the main airports. There are no official exchange rates, so compare the counter’s rate with the Riksbank’s reference rate first.
Can I pay with euros in Sweden?
Generally no. Sweden is in the EU but uses the Swedish krona, and euros are not generally accepted. Where a shop does take them, the rate is its own. Pay by card in kronor instead. If you need euros for an onward trip, some Bankomat machines dispense them, charged in SEK at Bankomat’s posted rate.
Do I need ID to exchange money in Sweden?
Yes, in practice. Exchange businesses must be registered with Finansinspektionen and follow anti-money-laundering rules. FOREX asks for valid physical ID — a passport from any country or an EU, Schengen or EEA national ID card — scans it, and may ask where the money came from and what it is for, whatever the amount.
What can I do with leftover Swedish kronor?
Spend notes and coins on the last day: grocery stores and pharmacies with a staffed checkout must accept cash for small payments. Larger amounts of notes can be sold back at a FOREX store — free with your original FOREX receipt, 50 kr without. FOREX buys back banknotes only, so spend the coins first.
Can I still exchange old Swedish banknotes?
Yes, but only through the Riksbank, by post. Notes invalid since 2016–2017 cannot be spent or changed at banks. Send them with the redemption form and an explanation of where they came from; the Riksbank deducts a 300 kr fee and pays into an account in SEK, foreign ones included. It has proposed ending this from July 2027.
Can I exchange old Swedish coins?
No. The 1, 2 and 5 kronor coins replaced in 2017, and older öre coins, cannot be redeemed at banks or at the Riksbank. The Riksbank says they can be treated as scrap metal for recycling. If you think a coin has collector value, a coin dealer is the only route. Current coins can simply be spent at a till.
Related guides
- ATMs in Sweden — withdrawal caps, fees and finding a Bankomat.
- Using cards in Sweden — why choosing SEK over your home currency saves money.
- Paying with cash in Sweden — where cash is still accepted and where it isn’t.
- Declaring cash at the border — the EUR 10,000 rule, now inside the EU too.
- Money in Sweden — the full overview of paying your way.
Facts verified 2026-09-24. Sources: Sveriges Riksbank, Finansinspektionen, Konsumenternas Bank- och finansbyrå, Tullverket, Bankomat, FOREX Bank — full register in this topic’s source file. No exchange rates are published here; they move daily. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.