Payments Report 2022

In Sweden, we prefer to pay digitally

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Payment habits from the pandemic persist

Published: 15 December 2022

Sweden is one of the most digital countries in the world. Nine out of ten Swedes use the internet daily and three out of four identify themselves digitally using mobile e-ID. The European Commission’s Digital Economy and Society Index ranks Sweden fourth after Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands.

In the payments market, cash is being replaced by digital payments, usually by card or Swish. The pandemic years gave an extra boost to this development, especially among the elderly. More people shopped online and many stopped paying with cash in shops to minimise contact. The Riksbank’s survey on the Swedish people’s payment habits in 2022 shows that these trends are continuing. Digital payment methods are becoming more common, we shop a lot online and the use of cash is continuing to decline.

FACT BOX - The Riksbank’s survey of payment habits

The Riksbank’s survey on payment habits has been conducted every two years since 2010. The survey provides a picture of how we pay in Sweden and how payment habits change over time.

In the 2022 survey, 2,089 randomly selected persons aged 18-84 responded to the Riksbank’s questionnaire. 1,589 persons responded via a web interview. To capture people who do not use the internet, 500 telephone interviews were also conducted. The interviews were conducted between 14 and 30 March 2022.

The survey responses have been weighted by gender, age, region and education to reflect the population of Sweden. Figures from the 2022 survey can be found at riksbank.se