Home Send Money Sweden

Send Money To Sweden

In this Sweden money transfer guide, we shall explore the different channels you can use to send money home, the factors you need to consider and the advantages you are likely to enjoy. This will help you make informed decisions on how to transfer your money next time you are sending home.

Compare Rates
United States

How To Send Money To Sweden

Sending money to Sweden is simple and easy. Follow these steps to get started.

Find a Trusted Provider


Sign Up and Deposit


Transfer Money


Ways To Send And Receive Money In Sweden

There are multiple ways to easily send and receive money in Sweden but these will largely depend on the provider you decide to use. Below you will find everything you need to know about sending and receiving money. 

Sending Money To Sweden
Receiving Money In Sweden

Ways to Send Money to Sweden

There are three main ways you can send money to Sweden. There is the bank to bank wire transfers, online money transfer services and agent-based cash transfer services.

Bank Wire Transfers

This option is great for sending large sums of money as it is secure and reliable. However, the fees you will pay, and the exchange rate you will get, largely depends on the country you are transferring from and the currency pair.

Most banks in Europe such as Barclays UK and Santander, allow for internet-based wire transfers, telephone transfers and in-person branch-based transfers. When making any of these transfers, ensure you do a cross-comparison of costs. For instance, telephone and branch-based transfers cost a little more than online-based wire transfers.

Sending money to Sweden from the Bank of America will cost you $45 per transfer if you send in USD. However, if you send in Swedish krona (SEK), you’ll not be charged transfer fees, instead, the bank will make its cut from the exchange rate margin. Most bank transfers take 1 to 3 days to get to Sweden.

Online Money Transfer Services

The growth in technology has created a platform for fintech companies to join the money transfer ecosystem. Companies like TransferWise, Currencies Direct, Moneycorp, Xoom, and WorldFirst are gaining popularity on the various Swedish remittance corridors.

Some of the companies like OFX serve both individual and corporate needs. You can pay your bills, salaries, mortgages and lots of other obligations straight from most of these platforms. Online money transfer providers make their profits from transfers fees and exchange rates. That being said, there are those like TransferWise that do not charge any exchange rate margins and others that don’t charge transfer fees.

Ensure you check the fee structure of the several providers that you are considering before making a decision.

One of the attractive features of online money transfer providers is that they allow you to make transfers even if you do not have a bank account. For bank-to-bank transfers, both you and the recipient must have bank accounts.

You can pay for your transfer using a credit or debit card, bank wire transfer, or direct bank debit. The choice of your payment method is important because it can either delay or hasten your transfer. If you pay using a debit or credit card, you transfer will get to the recipient faster.

To make a transfer, you’ll need to sign up for an account. This exercise can take anything from minutes to a couple of hours depending on the provider and the verification process. Once the account is operational, you can make your transfer at any time. Most providers have mobile applications that improve the sending experience and give you lots of flexibility with your transfers.

The sender and recipient can opt for direct to bank transfers or cash pickup options. These are the two main transfer payout options in Sweden.

In-Person Cash Transfer Services

This option requires that you visit a store which could be in a mall, banking hall, or fuel station. Once you fill in the forms and hand over the cash, the transfer is executed.

Western Union, Ria and MoneyGram are some of the top cash transfer companies in this category. When sending money from the UK through MoneyGram, you can choose cash pickup or a direct deposit to the recipient’s bank account. Whatever the case, the money should arrive in a couple of hours. Typically, cash pickups take minutes for the transfer to be completed.

MoneyGram and Western Union charge transfer fees and exchange rate margins. They also allow for online transfers or a hybrid of online and agent-based cash transfers.

What is Needed to Send Money to Sweden

For your transfer to Sweden to be successful, you need to provide the following information and documentation:

  • A government-issued photo ID
  • The name of the recipient, their address and phone number
  • The recipient’s bank details. Cash pickups don’t require such information
  • The reason for the transfer

Usually, it takes a little longer to make the first transfer, but for subsequent transfers, the process is much simpler and fast. Some online transfer platforms allow for recurring transactions.

Best Ways To Send Money To Sweden

United States
Top Provider
Amount Received
Fees: 0
Rate: 9.22732*
Payment Options
Debit Card
1-2 Hours
Bank Transfer
1-2 Hours
Key Features
No transfer fees
5/5 'excellent' rating on TrustPilot
£25 amazon gift card when you refer a friend
Amount Received
Fees: $5.00
Rate: 9.25525*
Payment Options
Debit Card
1-2 Hours
Credit Card
1-2 Hours
Bank Transfer
1-2 Hours
Key Features
First 3 Transfers Free
Cash pickup to over 170,000 locations
No domestic transfers
Amount Received
Fees: $10.00
Rate: 9.00851*
Payment Options
Bank Transfer
3-5 Days
Debit Card
3-5 Days
Key Features
Internationally renowned bank
Current Mid-Market Rate: 1 USD = 9.31112 SEK
* Some rates may be indicative.

Common Reasons for Sending Money to Sweden

Much like transfers to other countries around the world, transfers to Sweden are made in varying amounts and for different reasons. Some of the common reasons underlying transfers to Sweden are:

Family Support

Some Swedes who work out of the country regularly send money to their families and relatives back home. According to Eurostat, the average age at which young people in Sweden leave their parent’s households is about 19 years. Family support plays a critical role to help these young people stabilise.

Paying Employees & Suppliers

Companies overseas that have employees in Sweden can pay their staff wages using online money transfers or bank wire transfers as well as some of the inflows to Sweden are for supplier payments for goods or services sourced from Sweden.


Sweden is a highly capitalised economy with a low debt-to-GDP ratio. Investors including Swedish nationals living abroad prefer putting their money in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or American Depository Receipts (ADRs) that track American stocks.


Part of the money sent to Sweden is directed at savings instruments mostly in the banking sector. Banks and loan companies in Sweden offer some of the best interest rates on deposits in the country thereby attracting inflows from Swedes abroad. Some of the institutions are government-backed.

Home Purchases

Some of the large transfers into Sweden are for outright home purchases or mortgages. Areas in the South of Sweden such as Falsterbo and those near the University town of Lund have become destinations for real estate investors both local and international.

Why Send Money with a Money Transfer Service?

The debate on whether to send money through mainstream banking institutions or money transfer providers boils down to the following factors.

Speed of Transfer

Money transfer operators like Western Union, MoneyGram, and Xoom offer cash pickup and directly to bank options which take minutes to a couple of hours to deliver the transfers. This speed cannot be compared to the 2 -3 days that banks typically take.

Ease of Set-Up

It takes a few minutes to a couple of hours to set up a transfer account and have it verified. The information requested is relatively minimal and you can easily upload it on the provider’s platform. You can even take a photo of your credit or debit card and upload it quickly instead of typing in the details.

Exchange Rates

On average, money transfer services charge 0.5 to 3.5% in exchange rate margins for transfers to Sweden. For instance, Xoom charges 0.283% to transfer money in USD to Swedish Krona. Banks charge upwards of 5%.

MultiCurrency Support

Irrespective of the country you are sending money from, most money transfer providers will support your currency. Swedes in countries as far as Liberia in Africa and the Republic of Vanuatu in the South Pacific can send money to Sweden through money transfer operators, thanks to the multicurrency feature.

Secure and Reliable

Online money transfer service providers are regulated by independent and government-aligned bodies in the different countries they operate. For instance, in the United Kingdom, the FCA and the HMRC are the main regulatory authorities. In the United States, money transfer providers are regulated by FinCEN, and in Canada, they are regulated by FINTRAC.

Transfer Fees

Companies such as TransferWise charge only 9.13 USD to send 1000 USD to Sweden. WorldRemit charges 3.99 USD for the same transfer. The difference is due to the fact that TransferWise processes all transfers at the midmarket rates. Banks charge anything from 30-$40 per transfer.

Things to Consider When Sending Money to Sweden

When sending money to Sweden, there are certain aspects you must consider so as to ensure your transfer is smooth and with no lost opportunities.

  • Low-Interest Rates -If you are thinking of saving money in banking institutions in Sweden, you need to make cross-comparisons. The lower rates mean lower earnings on savings. However, when considering taking home loans, Sweden is an ideal country. Rates in the country are as low as 1.6%.
  • Tax on Transfers – Sweden doesn’t tax remittances whether gifts or cash meant for support. However, it is important for the recipient to give a proper explanation when the transferred amount shows up on the tax statement so that the inflow is not treated as income.

Therefore, when sending money to Sweden, it is not just about the channels, several other factors come to play. It is important that you factor all of them in as they contribute to the overall transfer experience.

Your Questions Answered

What’s The Overall Best Way To Send Funds To Sweden?
What’s The Easiest Way To Send Money To Sweden?
What’s The Cheapest Way To Send Funds To Sweden?
What’s The Fastest Way To Transfer Money To Sweden?
Current Exchange Rates For Sweden
How we compare?

Looking to Send Money Somewhere Else? 

Sending money anywhere else in the world is as easy as sending money to Sweden. If you're looking to send money to another country, here is the list of the most popular destinations. 

Jonathan Merry
