The official currency is the Swedish krona, with the international currency code SEK. Sweden is in the EU but does not use the euro.
Current banknotes include:
- 20 kr
- 50 kr
- 100 kr
- 200 kr
- 500 kr
- 1,000 kr
Coins are issued in 1, 2, 5 and 10 kronor.
Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere, including cafés, public transport, museums, restaurants and very small shops.
Recent visitors often report completing an entire Swedish trip without using cash. In fact, you are more likely to encounter a business that refuses cash than one that refuses a normal international card.
Cash can still be useful for:
- occasional markets or food stalls
- small independent traders
- emergencies if card networks fail
- keeping an alternative payment method
That backup point has become more topical. In March 2026, Sweden’s central bank recommended that people maintain several ways to pay, including cards, mobile services and cash, because the country’s highly digital payment system can be vulnerable to disruption.
From July 2026, Sweden also expanded offline card-payment capability for essential goods during communications outages.
For tourists, however, the practical message remains simple: take a suitable Visa or Mastercard and only a modest amount of Swedish cash, if any.
Over the past 30 days, the pound has been steady against the Swedish Krona. The best Swedish Krona rate moved from 12.9912 on 15 October 2026 to 13.0103 on 13 November 2026.
This means £1 buys more Swedish Krona today than it did at the start of the period.
On a £750 purchase, you would receive about kr9,757.73 today, around kr14.33 more than on 15 October 2026.
Swedish Krona rates moved around during the month, ranging from 12.8424 on 3 November to 13.0384 on 25 October. That shows why checking live rates before you buy can make a real difference.
Last refreshed at 12:00 on 13 November 2026.