SwedSec
Swedsec Licensiering AB is the self-regulatory licensing body for Sweden's financial industry, administering five role-specific licensing tests, annual knowledge updates, and disciplinary procedures to ~24,000 active licensees across 284 affiliated banks, insurers, and fund companies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersStockholm, Sweden
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SwedSec does
Swedsec Licensiering AB is a self-regulatory licensing organization for the Swedish financial industry, founded in 2001 by Föreningen Svensk Värdepappersmarknad (the Swedish Securities Market Association) and headquartered in Stockholm. It administers five role-specific licensing tests — Bolån (mortgage), Rådgivare (advisor), Informationsgivare (information provider), Specialister (specialist), and Ledning och kontrollfunktioner (management/control) — that certify individual financial professionals working at affiliated institutions, and it enforces an annual knowledge update (ÅKU) requirement plus a disciplinary regime with 630 decisions and 171 license revocations since inception.
Its core technology stack is a web-based platform (online.swedsec.se) where licensees and affiliated companies manage bookings, license status, and ÅKU reporting, with BankID for authentication. Testing is delivered through the PSI/PSIONLINE platform with an integrated calculator, and is administered either at digital test centers with remote proctoring by Educateit AB (with Safe Exam Browser lockdown and Zoom/Swesh-based mobile camera monitoring) or at physical centers operated by Lexicon and StudentConsulting across nine Swedish cities. Exam workflow in disciplinary cases is conducted via the Admincontrol document platform. The organization is light on proprietary R&D and outsources the heaviest infrastructure to specialist vendors.
Swedsec makes money primarily through a recurring subscription model layered with usage-based fees. Affiliated companies pay a quarterly service fee (3,150 SEK/quarter, or higher tier rates of 9,000-45,000 SEK/quarter for pre-2020 conglomerates) plus a per-active-licensee fee of 315 SEK/quarter with sliding volume discounts of 5-25% for 100+ licensees. Licensing tests are billed at 1,900 SEK per attempt for companies (2,375 SEK for private individuals, VAT inclusive), and diagnostic preparatory tests are 630-788 SEK. With 284 affiliated companies covering essentially the entire Swedish banking, insurance, and fund management ecosystem — including Handelsbanken, SEB, Swedbank, Nordea, Avanza, Nordnet, SBAB, DNB, Carnegie, and Länsförsäkringar — and approximately 24,182 active licensees plus ~10,000 inactive held licenses, Swedsec holds a near-monopoly position in Sweden and is exploring expansion of its test surface into consumer credits ahead of the November 2026 EU Consumer Credit Directive transposition.
SwedSec firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SwedSec
- Legal name
- Swedsec Licensiering AB
- Website
- https://swedsec.se
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Swedsec Licensiering AB is the self-regulatory licensing body for Sweden's financial industry, administering five role-specific licensing tests, annual knowledge updates, and disciplinary procedures to ~24,000 active licensees across 284 affiliated banks, insurers, and fund companies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SwedSec industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Financial Industry Licensing and Certification
- NAICS
- Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Securities & Investment Licensing Exam Prep (FINRA Series 7/63/65/66, SIE) (EDANAIAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Secure Browser, Device Lockdown & Exam Security Tools (EDAFADAI), Credential, Education & Professional License Verification (BPAKAEAI), Quality Control (QC), Compliance & Audit Tools for Underwriting (FSALALAL)
Keywords
Where SwedSec is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stockholm
- HQ country
- Sweden
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
SwedSec business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Service Fees from Affiliated Companies: Companies pay quarterly service fees for being affiliated with Swedsec. Standard service fee is 3,150 SEK per quarter. For conglomerate connections (pre-2020), fees range from 9,000 to 45,000 SEK per quarter based on number of licensees.
- License Fees per Active Licensee: Companies pay 315 SEK per quarter for each employee with an active license. Volume discounts apply: 5% for 100-499 licensees, 10% for 500-999, 15% for 1,000-1,499, 20% for 1,500-1,999, and 25% for 2,000+ licensees.
- Licensing Test Fees: Licensing tests are charged at 1,900 SEK per test (excluding VAT) for affiliated companies, and 2,375 SEK (including VAT) for private individuals. Diagnostic tests cost 630 SEK (excluding VAT) for companies and 788 SEK (including VAT) for private individuals.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Quarterly | Service fee per affiliated company |
| Per seat | Quarterly | Per active license holder fee |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Licensing test for companies |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Diagnostic test for companies |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Licensing test for private individuals |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Diagnostic test for private individuals |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
SwedSec product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Swedsec provides standardized licensing tests and certification for Swedish financial industry professionals across five role categories (mortgage advisors, investment advisors, information providers, specialists, and management/control functions). The offering includes preparatory diagnostic tests, mandatory annual knowledge updates (ÅKU), and a disciplinary framework for license holders, all delivered through a web-based online platform with both digital and physical test center options.
Product overview
SwedSec is a self-regulatory licensing organization for the Swedish financial industry offering a unified licensing system built around five role-specific licensing tests (Bolån, Rådgivare, Informationsgivare, Specialister, and Ledning och kontrollfunktioner), supplemented by preparatory diagnostic tests, annual knowledge updates (ÅKU), and a disciplinary proceeding framework. All services are delivered through SwedSec's online platform (webbtjänst) with both digital and physical test center options. Founded in 2001, the organization currently has approximately 284 affiliated companies and around 24,000 active licensees.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Licensing Tests (Licensieringstester) Five role-specific licensing tests for Swedish financial industry employees covering mortgage loans (Bolån), investment advisors (Rådgivare), information providers (Informationsgivare), specialists (Specialister), and management/control functions (Ledning och kontrollfunktioner). Required to obtain a Swedsec license.
- Diagnostic Tests (Diagnostiska tester) Practice tests mirroring each licensing test in language, form, and difficulty, with no time limit and detailed feedback on areas requiring study. Available in the same five categories as licensing tests.
- Annual Knowledge Update (ÅKU) Mandatory annual digital knowledge update for all active licensees, consisting of training with control questions on topics set by Swedsec's Examination Board. Must be completed and reported by November 30 each year to maintain active license status.
- Disciplinary Proceedings (Disciplinärenden) Formal process for handling reported rule violations by licensees, including investigation, decisions by the Disciplinary Committee, and sanctions such as warnings, reprimands, temporary revocation, or permanent revocation of licenses. The public decision archive contains 630+ published decisions since 2001.
Quantifiable outcome
- 284 affiliated companies representing major Swedish financial institutions
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use SwedSec
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
SwedSec technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature3 records
SwedSec partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Educateit ABcoreEducateit AB provides the digital test center infrastructure and remote proctoring services for Swedsec's licensing tests. They monitor test-takers during digital examinations using mobile phone and computer-based surveillance. This is a critical technology partnership enabling remote testing capabilities.
- Lexicon (Test Center Operator)coreLexicon provides physical test center facilities in Borlänge, Karlstad, Linköping, Malmö, Stockholm, and Umeå. They manage test administration including registration and supervision.
- StudentConsulting (Test Center Operator)coreStudentConsulting provides physical test center facilities in Göteborg and Luleå. They manage test administration and supervision at these locations.
- PSI/PSIONLINEcorePSI/PSIONLINE provides the test delivery platform used for licensing examinations. The platform supports various question types, includes a calculator function, and enables exam monitoring and results tracking.
- Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Finansinspektionen)coreSwedsec operates as a self-regulatory body complementing Finansinspektionen's official supervision. The organization supports the authority's goals of maintaining confidence in the Swedish financial market by ensuring competency and ethical behavior among financial professionals.
- Föreningen Svensk Värdepappersmarknad (Swedish Securities Market Association)coreSwedsec was founded in 2001 by the Swedish Securities Market Association on the initiative of market participants to strengthen confidence in the Swedish financial industry. The association continues to support and govern the organization.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SwedSec competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- FINRA: US-based self-regulatory organization that administers securities licensing exams (Series 7, 63, etc.). Direct conceptual equivalent in a much larger market; operates the same model of role-specific licensing tests, disciplinary proceedings, and affiliated member firms.
- CFA Institute: Global provider of professional credentialing (CFA charter) for investment professionals. Similar self-regulatory-adjacent role in certifying financial professionals, with comparable disciplinary and ethical standards framework.
- Pearson VUE: Global leader in computer-based testing delivery for professional licensure and certification exams. Operates the test center network layer that competitors to Swedsec would use for licensing exam delivery in other markets.
- Prometric: Major global test delivery provider for professional licensure, certification, and academic exams. Comparable role as infrastructure partner for licensing bodies, including financial industry credentials.
Emerging players
- PSI Services: Test delivery and proctoring platform that is itself Swedsec's technology partner. Provides similar licensing and certification testing infrastructure to professional licensing bodies globally; comparable in the technology layer that supports licensing programs.
- SQMA (Swedish Association for Quality Management of Financial Services): Swedish financial industry quality body focused on compliance and operational standards. Adjacent to Swedsec's competency verification role, with potential overlap in industry self-regulation mandates.
Direct peers
- NCEES: US-based organization that develops and administers licensing exams for professional engineers and surveyors. Closest structural analog — a self-regulatory professional licensing body administering role-specific competency exams with disciplinary procedures.
Regional players
- European Banking Authority (EBA): EU-level banking regulator that sets competency and qualification standards for financial professionals across member states. Comparable function in financial professional qualification, though operating at regulatory policy level rather than as a testing body.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
SwedSec social profiles
Digital presenceSwedSec financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SwedSec leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
SwedSec funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SwedSec M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SwedSec
What does SwedSec do?
Swedsec provides standardized licensing tests and certification for Swedish financial industry professionals across five role categories (mortgage advisors, investment advisors, information providers, specialists, and management/control functions). The offering includes preparatory diagnostic tests, mandatory annual knowledge updates (ÅKU), and a disciplinary framework for license holders, all delivered through a web-based online platform with both digital and physical test center options.
Is SwedSec a public or private company?
SwedSec is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was SwedSec founded?
SwedSec was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SwedSec based?
SwedSec is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, in the Europe region.
How does SwedSec make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Service Fees from Affiliated Companies are the primary driver. The others are license Fees per Active Licensee and licensing Test Fees.
Who are SwedSec's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are FINRA, CFA Institute, Pearson VUE and Prometric. Emerging players are PSI Services and SQMA (Swedish Association for Quality Management of Financial Services). NCEES is listed as a direct peer. European Banking Authority (EBA) is listed as a regional player.
Does SwedSec have an API?
No public API is recorded for SwedSec.
What industry is SwedSec in?
SwedSec's product category is Financial Industry Licensing and Certification. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDANAIAJ, Securities & Investment Licensing Exam Prep (FINRA Series 7/63/65/66, SIE), with a secondary code of EDAFADAI, Secure Browser, Device Lockdown & Exam Security Tools. Its NAICS code is 611691 and its SIC code is 8200.