USD to SEK

Why money moves between dollars and kronor

You might send money from the US to Sweden (or the other way) for many reasons. A Swedish developer billing a paying client in San Francisco in dollars often needs to turn those into kronor for rent in Malmö. Or you're an American starting a position at Uppsala University, looking to move savings into Sweden before your first Swedish paycheck. You might be working at a Stockholm tech firm with a US parent company, selling stock, and need the payout in Sweden. Every Swede trading US shares in an ISK investment account also swaps between the two currencies, sometimes barely noticing it during each transaction.

And just for a rough sense: 1,000 dollars at the mid-market rate gives you 9,832.70 SEK kronor. Providers skim off a margin and those margins differ. The real amount arriving in Sweden is always a bit lower, and that gap is exactly where cost matters.

About the krona and the dollar

The Swedish krona (plural kronor) is the currency issued by Sveriges Riksbank, which started way back in 1668 and is often called the oldest central bank anywhere. Sweden never switched to the euro despite being in the European Union, so its own central bank controls the interest rate. Since abandoning its currency peg during a 1992 crisis, the krona's value floats freely.

Sweden's not the largest economy, and it's driven by exports. That means global moods can move the krona quickly: when world markets get nervous, investors often exit and buy dollars instead; in calmer times, they drift back. The policy gap between Sveriges Riksbank and the US Federal Reserve also plays a part, along with the euro's influence, because Sweden trades so much with eurozone countries. This pair moved +3.85% in the past year, touching a low of 8.8261 and hitting 10.0428 on the other end.

Receiving money into a Swedish bank

Swedish bank accounts have IBANs that start with SE and run 24 characters long. Nearly any SEK payout lands in one of these accounts. Swish, the popular Swedish mobile payment app, is excellent for sending money between Swedes, but it isn't set up for incoming international transfers. So if you're sending funds to Sweden, ask for the recipient's bank IBAN and the BIC code (especially if the money is coming from outside Europe). For businesses, sometimes only Bankgiro or Plusgiro numbers appear on an invoice, but check and confirm the IBAN before sending anything abroad.

One decision can make a visible difference. If you send dollars to a Swedish bank account, the bank picks the conversion rate (often with an unseen margin). If your provider converts to kronor first and deposits that, you’ll see the exact SEK amount before hitting send. We covered this in more detail in our guide to receiving USD in Europe. The direct SEK route is almost always clearer.

Comparing what each route costs

The most cost-effective provider today pays you 9,784.02 SEK kronor for 1,000 dollars. For example, Wise lists a fee of 4.95 USD, leading to a total cost of 0.50%, while Revolut amounts to 0.50%. The order can flip depending on how much you send or the payment method. The table above responds to your numbers, keeping things current.

Don’t compare providers against zero, compare them to your own bank’s result. Banks often tuck part of their profit inside the exchange rate, then add a flat fee. If you want the details, take a look at how banks mark up exchange rates. If you’re moving funds both ways on a regular basis, holding a multi-currency account gives you flexibility to convert only when the rate works for you.

Timing, larger transfers, and related links

Swedish banks close for Midsummer, Christmas, and Easter, stopping transfers for a few days. Dollar payments also depend on US banking hours, which can mean anything sent late Friday lands on Monday or even Tuesday.

For larger moves, such as stock sale proceeds or big savings, expect questions about the source of funds, and keep sale proofs or payslips handy. If you’re patient, a limit order lets you set your preferred rate and wait. For sending SEK to the US, see SEK → USD. If you’re interested in the neighboring Norwegian krone (NOK, not to be confused with Swedish kronor), take a look at USD → NOK. For transparency on how our prices are calculated, check out How we compare.