Swish is how Sweden pays. What started in 2012 as a way for friends to send each other money has become a standard way to pay online, in apps and in shops, and Swedish customers look for it at checkout.
This guide explains how Swish works for merchants, what you need to accept it, how refunds work, where it fits and where it doesn’t, and how it compares with cards.
Key takeaways
- Swish is a Swedish mobile payment method. The customer approves each payment in the Swish app and confirms it with Mobile BankID.
- Money moves directly between bank accounts and is confirmed instantly.
- To accept Swish online, you need a Swedish bank account that supports Swish, and your bank has to activate Swish for your business.
- Payments are in Swedish kronor only. Full and partial refunds are supported, but recurring payments and pre-authorisations are not.
- Swish has no card-style chargeback: the customer approves every payment, and refunds are sent by the merchant.
What is Swish?
Swish is a mobile payment service launched in 2012 by a group of large Swedish banks, together with Bankgirot and Sveriges Riksbank, the Swedish central bank. It lets people pay from their bank account using their mobile number, with the payment confirmed through Mobile BankID, Sweden’s electronic identification.
Swish is used for payments between people, for online and in-app purchases, and in shops through QR codes. To use it, customers need a Swedish bank account, a Swedish personal identity number and the BankID app.
How a Swish payment works
On a phone
- The customer chooses Swish at checkout.
- The Swish app opens with the payment details.
- The customer approves the payment and confirms it with BankID.
- The merchant receives instant confirmation.
On a computer
- The customer chooses Swish and either scans a QR code with the Swish app or enters their mobile number to receive a payment request.
- They approve the payment in the app on their phone and confirm with BankID.
- The checkout shows the result as soon as the payment is confirmed.
The customer never enters card details, and the merchant never sees the customer’s bank login.
What you need to accept Swish
- A Swedish bank account that supports Swish. Payments are deposited to that account.
- Swish activated for business by your bank. For online sales this is usually called Swish Handel (Swish for commerce). Your bank sets the agreement and the fees, typically a small fee per received payment.
- An integration. Either through a payment provider that supports Swish, or directly with Swish’s merchant API using the certificates your bank provides.
- Prices in Swedish kronor. Swish doesn’t support other currencies or currency conversion.
Because you need a Swedish bank account, Swish is mainly an option for businesses with a presence in Sweden, or for those working through a payment provider that can collect Swish payments on their behalf.
Refunds, disputes and recurring payments
Refunds
Full and partial refunds are supported. The merchant starts the refund, and the money goes back to the customer’s account.
Disputes
A Swish payment is approved by the customer in their own bank’s environment and confirmed with BankID, so there is no card-style chargeback process. That lowers your exposure to friendly fraud compared with cards. Customers can still complain to you or their bank if something goes wrong, so clear terms and good service still matter.
Recurring payments
Swish is for one-off payments: each one has to be approved by the customer. For subscriptions, pair Swish with cards or another method that supports recurring billing. Pre-authorisations, such as holding an amount before final capture, aren’t supported either.
Swish vs cards
| Swish | Cards | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can pay | Customers with a Swedish bank account and BankID | Anyone with a card |
| Authentication | Mobile BankID in the Swish app | Usually 3D Secure |
| Confirmation | Instant | Authorised instantly, settled on the acquirer’s schedule |
| Chargebacks | No card-style chargeback | Yes, under card scheme rules |
| Recurring | No | Yes, with stored credentials |
| Currency | SEK only | Many |
Most merchants selling in Sweden offer Swish and cards together, so customers can pick.
Where Swish works best
- Online shops and apps selling to Swedish customers, especially on mobile.
- Digital goods and services that are delivered straight away, where instant confirmation matters.
- Events, ticketing and donations, where quick payment matters more than recurring billing.
- Shops and pop-ups that take payments by QR code.
It is less suitable for subscriptions, for businesses without a Swedish bank account, and for customers outside Sweden.
Swish and other Nordic payment methods
Swish is Swedish only. If you sell across the Nordics, you also need MobilePay in Denmark and Finland and Vipps in Norway. Our guide to local payment methods in Europe covers each market.
Frequently asked questions
What is Swish?
Swish is a Swedish mobile payment service, launched in 2012 by Swedish banks. Customers pay from their bank account in the Swish app and confirm each payment with Mobile BankID.
How does Swish work for merchants?
The customer chooses Swish at checkout, approves the payment in the Swish app and confirms with BankID. The merchant gets instant confirmation, and the money is paid into the merchant’s Swedish bank account.
Can a foreign business accept Swish?
To accept Swish directly, you need a Swedish bank account that supports Swish. Businesses without one can only offer Swish through a payment provider that collects Swish payments for them.
Does Swish support refunds?
Yes. Merchants can make full and partial refunds, which go back to the customer’s bank account.
Can Swish be used for subscriptions?
No. Swish payments are one-off and each one must be approved by the customer. Use cards or another method that supports recurring payments for subscriptions.
Can Swish payments be charged back?
Not like card payments. Each Swish payment is approved by the customer with BankID, and refunds are made by the merchant.
What currency does Swish use?
Swish payments are in Swedish kronor only.
Next step
If you sell to Swedish customers, Swish belongs alongside cards in your checkout. Fasto works with adult, subscription, nutraceutical, gaming, dating and hospitality merchants, and we confirm which payment methods are available for your business type when you apply. Approval typically takes two to three weeks.
Get a free quote and tell us which markets you sell to.
