Austria
Belgium
Poland
Romania
SpainNikolai Timofejev
15 years in FinTech and payments. Maps your business model to the right licence scope and leads the file all the way to the FI licence, including banking and payment rails.
Get a forex license in Sweden.
A forex licence in Sweden is a licence to conduct securities business, tillstånd att driva värdepappersrörelse, from the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority, Finansinspektionen (FI), under 2 kap. 1 § of Lag (2007:528) om värdepappersmarknaden (LVM); CFD brokerage needs no other category. The fee comes first: SEK 975,000 in class T of Förordning (2001:911), plus SEK 75,000 for the client-money permission. Start capital is €75,000, €150,000 or €750,000 by model (3 kap. 6 §). FI states that it decides within six months of a complete, paid file, and corporate tax is 20.6% for 2026. We run the case through our Stockholm office.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated · Reviewed by the Prifinance team
Sweden in brief
One FI licence, priced permission by permission.
Lag (2007:528) om värdepappersmarknaden (LVM), which carries MiFID II through Lag (2017:679), decides who needs a forex licence in Sweden. Under 2 kap. 1 § conducting securities business requires FI's licence, granted for listed services: reception and transmission of orders, execution, dealing on own account, portfolio management, advice and the rest of MiFID II Annex I. CFDs are a derivative class of their own - 'finansiella kontrakt avseende prisdifferenser', point 6 of the definition in 1 kap. 4 § - and currency derivatives sit in point 1. There is no forex category. Ancillary services are licensed one at a time: each sidotjänst in 2 kap. 2 § needs its own permission, and the one a broker uses is point 1, receiving client funds med redovisningsskyldighet. Start capital in 3 kap. 6 § follows the IFD at €750,000, €150,000 or €75,000, with a Swedish addition of €5,000,000 for a firm that takes client funds on account under point 8.
Sweden prints its prices. Förordning (2001:911) puts a licence for services 1-7 in fee class T at SEK 975,000, a sum that also pays for FI's assessment of owners and management and its approval of the articles. Each ancillary permission adds SEK 75,000 (class L), FX trading as a side business SEK 40,500 (class J), every passport notification SEK 18,000 (class G). The fee is paid only after FI's handläggarbrev, and FI's six months run from a complete file with the fee paid. Governance sits above MiFID II's two-person floor: 3 kap. 5 § wants a board of at least three, a CEO who may not chair it without an FI exemption, and an authorised auditor. Once licensed, the firm pays the annual fee of Förordning (2007:1135), at least SEK 150,000 and exactly the minimum in year one. Corporate tax is 20.6% for 2026.
FI licence under 2 kap. 1 § LVM: SEK 975,000 fee in class T, €75k/€150k/€750k start capital, side permissions priced separately, FFFS 2019:7 for retail CFDs.
Board of three, separate CEO, auditor. Annual fee at least SEK 150,000. Investor cover SEK 250,000. Corporate tax 20.6% for 2026.
The two routes
Own account at €750,000, agency at €150,000 - one SEK 975,000 fee.
FI grants both models under the same 2 kap. 1 § licence and the same fee class; capital and side permissions are what differ. We cost the whole FI case before drafting starts.
Own account at €750,000 or agency at €150,000 - one SEK 975,000 fee.
01 - DEALING ON OWN ACCOUNT
The market-making värdepappersbolag
In Sweden a CFD market maker needs service 3 of 2 kap. 1 § LVM, dealing on own account, and €750,000 start capital measured at the licence decision. With the client-money sidotjänst, FI's fees come to SEK 975,000 plus SEK 75,000: SEK 1,050,000 before the first client trade.
In Sweden a CFD market maker needs service 3 of 2 kap. 1 § LVM, dealing on own account, and €750,000 start capital measured at the licence decision. With the client-money sidotjänst, FI's fees come to SEK 975,000 plus SEK 75,000: SEK 1,050,000 before the first client trade.
- ✓Service 3 - handel för egen räkning
- ✓€750,000 at the licence decision
- ✓SEK 975,000 fee, class T
- ✓Client-money sidotjänst - SEK 75,000
- ✓FFFS 2019:7 margins from 3.33% to 50%
- ✓Passport - SEK 18,000 per notification
02 - AGENCY · STP
€75k-€150k start capitalThe agency värdepappersbolag
A Swedish agency broker licensed for reception, transmission and execution needs €150,000 where it holds client funds as redovisningsmedel, or €75,000 where it holds none, and pays the same class T fee. Holding client funds on account instead takes a SEK 105,000 permission (class M) and €5,000,000 of capital.
RTO and execution; €150k with redovisningsmedel, €75k without; €5m if funds sit on account.
- ✓RTO and execution - services 1 and 2
- ✓€150,000 with redovisningsmedel
- ✓€75,000 without client funds
- ✓Same SEK 975,000 fee
- ✓Funds on account - €5,000,000
- ✓Later extension - SEK 232,500
Costs and timelines are confirmed for your case before any work begins. FI's fees are fixed by Förordning (2001:911) and paid after the handläggarbrev; investor-protection fees are allocated by each firm's share of protected assets and confirmed in the quote.
Why Sweden
The entry cost is known before you file.
Sweden charges a high entry fee and prints it, together with the price of every side permission.
✓
A printed price
Förordning (2001:911) fixes FI's licence fee at SEK 975,000 in class T and lists every extra permission beside it, so the FI line of the budget is known before the file is drafted.SEK 975,000, class T.
✓
FI's own CFD code
FFFS 2019:7 has governed retail CFDs in Sweden since 1 August 2019, when it replaced ESMA's temporary measure: initial margin from 3.33% on major pairs to 50% on crypto, close-out at half the initial margin, negative balance protection, no bonuses.FFFS 2019:7 since August 2019.
✓
Warning: a board of three
Sweden's 3 kap. 5 § LVM requires at least three board members, a CEO who may not chair the board without an FI exemption (SEK 18,000) and an authorised auditor - more people than MiFID II's two.Plus separate CEO and auditor.
✓
SEK 250,000 investor cover
Every Swedish värdepappersinstitut joins the investor protection scheme of Lag (1999:158) automatically, and cover runs to SEK 250,000 per investor per firm for instruments and funds held med redovisningsskyldighet.Automatic investor protection.
✓
A passport priced per notification
An FI licence reaches the 30 EEA states by notification: FI forwards a services notification within one month and a branch notification within three (5 kap. 2 and 4 §§), at SEK 18,000 each, and asks for these filings late in the licence case.SEK 18,000 per notification.
✓
Corporate tax at 20.6%
Skatteverket's 2026 rate for legal persons is 20.6%, below Denmark's 22%; the 20% cut proposed in a May 2025 Finance Ministry memo was not enacted for 2026.20% cut not enacted.
How it compares
How Sweden differs from other routes.
Sweden prices its licence at SEK 975,000, and FI's six months start only once that is paid; Estonia charges €1,000 and decides within two months of a complete file. Denmark and Finland put a 12-month long-stop on the decision in statute. The figures are below.
Sweden vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Sweden | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | SEK 975,000 · class T | €1,000 (Estonia) · confirmed per case (Denmark, Finland) |
| Decision clock | 6 months once complete and paid | 6 months, 12 at most (Denmark, Finland) · 2-6 months (Estonia) |
| Annual fee | Balance-sheet share · min SEK 150,000 | EUR 8,220 + 0.3616% of turnover (Finland) · 10.5 per mille of payroll (Denmark) |
| Corporate tax | 20.6% · 2026 | 22% Denmark · 20% Finland · 0% retained in Estonia |
Application fee
SwedenSEK 975,000 · class T
Other jurisdictions€1,000 (Estonia) · confirmed per case (Denmark, Finland)
Decision clock
Sweden6 months once complete and paid
Other jurisdictions6 months, 12 at most (Denmark, Finland) · 2-6 months (Estonia)
Annual fee
SwedenBalance-sheet share · min SEK 150,000
Other jurisdictionsEUR 8,220 + 0.3616% of turnover (Finland) · 10.5 per mille of payroll (Denmark)
Corporate tax
Sweden20.6% · 2026
Other jurisdictions22% Denmark · 20% Finland · 0% retained in Estonia
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | Värdepappersbolag · FI | 20.6% CIT (2026) · 30% kupongskatt | SEK 975,000 fee, board of three |
 Denmark | Fondsmæglerselskab · Finanstilsynet | 22% CIT (2026) | IFD €75k-€750k, § 22 clock |
 Finland | Investment firm · FIN-FSA | 20% CIT (2026) · 18% proposed for 2027 | IFD €75k-€750k, fee 0.3616% of turnover |
 Estonia | Investment firm · Finantsinspektsioon | 0% · 22% distributed | IFD €75k-€750k, €1,000 fee |
SwedenLicense typeVärdepappersbolag · FI
Taxation20.6% CIT (2026) · 30% kupongskatt
RequirementsSEK 975,000 fee, board of three
DenmarkLicense typeFondsmæglerselskab · Finanstilsynet
Taxation22% CIT (2026)
RequirementsIFD €75k-€750k, § 22 clock
FinlandLicense typeInvestment firm · FIN-FSA
Taxation20% CIT (2026) · 18% proposed for 2027
RequirementsIFD €75k-€750k, fee 0.3616% of turnover
EstoniaLicense typeInvestment firm · Finantsinspektsioon
Taxation0% · 22% distributed
RequirementsIFD €75k-€750k, €1,000 fee
Europe
Forex licences in neighbouring jurisdictions
Before you apply
Requirements for FI's securities licence.Requirements for the licence.
Chapter 3 of the LVM sets the conditions, and FI's form asks for the items of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1943, cross-referenced to the firm's governance documents. The ten items below are what FI expects to find in the file.
01
Swedish aktiebolag - head office in Sweden under 3 kap. 1 § point 1; the company may apply before registration with Bolagsverket (3 kap. 8 §).
02
Start capital - €750,000, €150,000 or €75,000 under 3 kap. 6 §, measured at the licence decision, or €5,000,000 where client funds are held on account.
03
Board, CEO and auditor - at least three board members and a CEO who does not chair the board, all of the repute and experience 3 kap. 1 § point 5 requires, plus an authorised auditor (3 kap. 5 §).
04
Qualifying holders - reputation, financial strength and money-laundering risk assessed, with no close links that hinder supervision (3 kap. 2 §).
05
Verksamhetsplan - the business plan 3 kap. 11 § requires, set out on FI's form against the 2017/1943 items.
06
Articles of association - approved by FI under 3 kap. 3 § and registered with Bolagsverket afterwards, without which they are not valid.
07
Side permissions - the client-money sidotjänst at SEK 75,000 (class L) and, for FX trading run as a side business, the 2 kap. 3 § permission at SEK 40,500 (class J).
08
Retail CFD set-up - FFFS 2019:7 margins, close-out, negative balance protection and bonus ban, plus a risk warning recalculated every three months over the past 12.
09
Investor protection - automatic membership under 4 § Lag (1999:158), cover up to SEK 250,000 per investor, and the scheme's information given to clients in Swedish (20 §).
10
AML - procedures under Lag (2017:630), whose new 1 kap. 2 § applies from 20 November 2026, with suspicious activity reported to Polismyndigheten without delay.
01
Swedish aktiebolag, head office in Sweden.
02
Capital per 3 kap. 6 §.
03
Three-member board, separate CEO.
04
Qualifying holders assessed.
05
Verksamhetsplan on FI's form.
06
Articles approved, then registered.
07
Side permissions applied for.
08
FFFS 2019:7 built in.
09
Investor protection, Swedish notice.
10
AML under Lag (2017:630).
Reflects the LVM as amended up to SFS 2026:1066, Förordning (2001:911), Förordning (2007:1135) and IFR/IFD as of 2026. The application is filed electronically with a signed cover letter.LVM to SFS 2026:1066 + fee ordinances + IFR/IFD, as of 2026.
How it works
From first call to FI's register.
01
Model and permissions
Own account or agency, the 2 kap. 1 § services and each sidotjänst - fixed first, because every permission carries its own fee.Each permission priced.
02
Company and board
A Swedish aktiebolag with a three-member board, a separate CEO and an auditor, and capital ready for the class the decision will measure.Three members, CEO, auditor.
03
The application
Verksamhetsplan, FI's form and the governance documents, filed electronically with a signed cover letter.Filed with a cover letter.
04
FI review
The handläggarbrev, then the SEK 975,000 payment, then FI's six months; we plan for 8-12 months from filing.Fee paid, six months run.
05
Licence and launch
Articles registered with Bolagsverket, investor protection in place automatically, passport notifications filed as a separate case.Bolagsverket, passport, launch.
Quick facts
RegulatorFinansinspektionen (FI)
FrameworkLVM (2007:528)
Application feeSEK 975,000 · class T
Client-money permissionSEK 75,000 · class L
Own account€750,000
Agency with client funds€150,000
FI decision6 months, complete and paid
Plan for8-12 months from filing
FI's six months start when the file is complete and the fee paid, and the fee is paid only after the handläggarbrev. A complete file on day one is the schedule.
On the ground in Sweden
Run from our Stockholm office.
Prifinance - Sweden
Stockholm · Sweden
Stockholm, Sweden
01
The Swedish aktiebolag
Formed, or applied for before registration under 3 kap. 8 §, with articles drafted for FI's approval and capital sized to the class the licence decision measures.Formed for FI's approval.
02
The FI application
The verksamhetsplan, the 2017/1943 items and the governance documents cross-referenced on FI's form - drafted by us, filed electronically and defended through FI's questions.Filed complete, electronically.
03
A board FI will accept
Three or more board members, a separate CEO and an authorised auditor lined up before filing, each prepared for FI's assessment of repute and experience.Three members, separate CEO.
04
Fees, permissions and passport
The class T fee, each side permission and the SEK 18,000 passport notifications sequenced so that FI's six months start as early as the file allows.Sequenced to start the clock.
We also have offices in
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
Prague
Czech Republic
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
Dubai
UAE
33 Level, Al Saqr Business Tower
London
United Kingdom
7 Bell Yard
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Budapest
Hungary
Korányi Sándor u. 4
Good to know
Taxation of forex brokers in Sweden.
Swedish corporate tax is 20.6% for 2026, dividends carry 30% kupongskatt unless the holding qualifies, and payroll carries 31.42% in employer charges.
Corporate tax 20.6%
Skatteverket's figures for income year 2026, updated 23 April 2026, put the state income tax on legal persons at 20.6%.2026, per Skatteverket.
The 20% proposal
A Swedish Finance Ministry memo, Fi2025/01067 of 19 May 2025, proposed 20% from 1 January 2026; the cut was not enacted for 2026, so we model 20.6% until a budget bill changes it.Not enacted for 2026.
Kupongskatt 30%
Swedish dividends carry 30% kupongskatt under 5 § Kupongskattelag (1970:624), and a foreign company equivalent to a Swedish one is exempt where its shares would be näringsbetingade (4 §). Treaty rates are confirmed per structure.Exempt where näringsbetingade.
Employer charges 31.42%
Swedish payroll carries 31.42% employer charges in 2026, 12.62% of it allmän löneavgift; staff aged 19-23 cost 20.81% on pay up to SEK 25,000 from 1 April 2026 to 30 September 2027.31.42% of payroll.
VAT exemptions in chapter 10
Chapter 10 of Mervärdesskattelag (2023:200) carries the Swedish version of the Art. 135(1)(d)-(f) exemptions for financial services; how each of a broker's income lines falls under it goes into the tax memo.ML 2023:200, chapter 10.
FI's annual fee
Förordning (2007:1135) puts värdepappersbolag in avgiftsgrupp 1 with banks and payment firms: a share of FI's costs by balance-sheet total, at least SEK 150,000, invoiced by 30 November.At least SEK 150,000.
Tax summary
Corporate tax20.6% · 2026
Proposed cut20% · not enacted
Kupongskatt30% · exempt if näringsbetingade
Employer charges31.42% · 2026
VAT on financial servicesExempt · ML ch. 10
*As of 2026 per Skatteverket, Kupongskattelag (1970:624) and Mervärdesskattelag (2023:200). Group and founder-level outcomes are modelled per structure.
Turnkey professional support
Experienced lawyers and international consultants.
We provide end-to-end support, from company registration and the application file to regulatory interaction and compliance oversight - with an individualized approach to each client.
Oleksii Kindratenko
Builds the application itself: Swedish aktiebolag, AML/KYC policy pack, capital structure and tax registrations. His document sets are the reason reviews finish in months, not years.
Eugeniu Bevziuc
First point of contact for international founders. Runs the whole setup remotely, across time zones and languages - from the first call to a live, licensed broker.
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Sweden · Finansinspektionen
Launch your forex project in Sweden with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from the aktiebolag and the class T fee to the FI licence, side permissions and passport notifications - run through our Stockholm office.
Get a consultation →Free legal opinion
Is Sweden the right fit for your project?
Our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: which jurisdiction, licence scope, or route fits your business.
Written assessment within 2-5 business days
Request a free conclusion →FAQ
The Swedish forex licence, answered.
What licence does a forex broker need in Sweden?+
A licence to conduct securities business from Finansinspektionen under 2 kap. 1 § of Lag (2007:528) om värdepappersmarknaden, granted for the services the firm will provide. Sweden has no separate forex or CFD licence; CFDs form their own derivative class in 1 kap. 4 § point 6.
How much does the FI application cost?+
SEK 975,000 for a licence covering services 1-7 (fee class T, Förordning 2001:911), which includes FI's assessment of owners and management and approval of the articles. The client-money sidotjänst adds SEK 75,000, FX trading as a side business SEK 40,500 and each passport notification SEK 18,000.
How long does FI take to decide?+
FI states that it decides within six months once the application is complete and the fee paid, and the fee falls due only after FI's handläggarbrev. We plan for 8-12 months from filing to decision.
What capital does a Swedish CFD broker need?+
A Swedish market maker needs €750,000 under 3 kap. 6 § LVM, measured at the licence decision; an agency broker holding client funds as redovisningsmedel needs €150,000, and one holding none €75,000. Taking client funds on account lifts the requirement to €5,000,000.
Which CFD rules apply to retail clients in Sweden?+
FFFS 2019:7, FI's own regulation in force since 1 August 2019: initial margin from 3.33% on major currency pairs (30:1) to 50% on cryptocurrencies (2:1), close-out at half the initial margin, negative balance protection, no bonuses and a firm-specific risk warning updated every three months. Binary options fall under FFFS 2019:8 from 2 July 2019.
Does FX trading need its own permission in Sweden?+
Yes, when FX trading is run as a side business: 2 kap. 3 § LVM requires a separate FI permission, priced at SEK 40,500 in fee class J. Currency services connected with investment services are a sidotjänst under 2 kap. 2 § point 4 instead, at SEK 75,000.
Who must sit on the board of a Swedish värdepappersbolag?+
A Swedish värdepappersbolag needs at least three board members, a CEO who may not chair the board unless FI grants an exemption (fee SEK 18,000), and at least one authorised auditor (3 kap. 5 § LVM). That is a higher floor than the two people MiFID II requires to direct the business.
How are forex brokers taxed in Sweden?+
Swedish corporate tax is 20.6% for 2026; a 20% rate proposed in May 2025 was not enacted. Dividends carry 30% kupongskatt unless the holding qualifies for exemption, and employer charges add 31.42% to payroll.
Sweden or Finland for a first Nordic licence?+
Finland's Investment Services Act (747/2012) sets the clock - six months, 12 at the outside, then an appeal to the Helsinki Administrative Court - and Finnish corporate tax is 20%, with 18% proposed for 2027. Sweden answers with a printed SEK 975,000 fee, SEK 250,000 investor cover and FI's own CFD regulation, FFFS 2019:7.
Why Prifinance for Sweden?+
We price the FI case before drafting it - class T fee, each sidotjänst, the passport notifications - and line up the three-member board, separate CEO and auditor that 3 kap. 5 § requires. The verksamhetsplan and FI's form are drafted and filed through our Stockholm office, and we answer FI's questions until the decision.
What licence?+
FI licence under 2 kap. 1 § LVM.
Cost?+
SEK 975,000 plus side permissions.
How long?+
Six months once complete and paid.
Capital?+
€75k/€150k/€750k; €5m on account.
Retail rules?+
FFFS 2019:7 - 30:1 to 2:1.
FX trading?+
Own permission, SEK 40,500.
Board?+
Three members, CEO not chair.
Taxes?+
20.6%; kupongskatt 30%.
Vs Finland?+
Finland's clock; Sweden's printed fee.
Why you?+
Priced case, ready board, Stockholm desk.
Client notes
Google4.7★★★★★
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Prifinance is an independent law and advisory firm. We are not a regulator and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Finansinspektionen) or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.