Sweden is currently undergoing one of the biggest changes to its payment infrastructure in decades. The traditional setup, where Bankgirot has acted as the central hub for payment communication, is being modernised and replaced by a new model where communication flows directly through each respective bank.

For merchants, this means important technical changes — but also major opportunities.

At Waytobill, we see this transformation as a major step forward for the Swedish payments ecosystem — and our role is to ensure that our customers are fully future-proofed throughout the transition.

The Biggest Changes to Know About

Transition to ISO 20022 XML

Older Swedish payment formats, such as BG Max, are being replaced by the global ISO 20022 XML standard.

This enables:

• Richer payment data and better reconciliation
• Improved traceability
• A more unified setup for international and domestic payments

The result is a more scalable and modern payment infrastructure.

New Communication Model

Previously, many businesses sent payment files directly to Bankgirot. Going forward, communication will instead happen directly through banks such as SEB, Handelsbanken, Swedbank, and Nordea.

For many companies, this would normally require updates to ERP systems, integrations, and payment processes.

How Waytobill Future-Proofs Your Payment Flows

At Waytobill, we handle these infrastructure changes so our customers do not have to.

With a connection to the Waytobill API, merchants can continue operating as usual while Waytobill manages the required updates and adaptations behind the scenes.

This means:

• No major system redevelopment
• No need to manage changing bank integrations internally
• No disruption to existing payment flows
• A future-proof setup aligned with the new Swedish payment infrastructure

Our goal is simple:
Allow merchants to focus on their business — not payment infrastructure complexity.

The Benefits of the New Infrastructure

Once implemented, the new infrastructure will enable:

• Real-time payments 24/7
• Better payment matching and reconciliation
• Improved security and modern validation protocols
• Faster and more efficient payment flows

What Happens in 2026?

The transition will take place in phases during 2026, initially affecting traditional Bankgiro payment flows such as invoice payments.

Bankgiro numbers themselves are not disappearing — the underlying technology and communication methods are what change.

Autogiro and e-invoicing are not affected in the first phase and continue operating as usual.

At the same time, Swish continues to grow as a central part of Sweden’s modern real-time payment infrastructure.

The Swedish payments landscape is evolving rapidly. By partnering with Waytobill, merchants gain a future-proof platform that continuously adapts to the changing infrastructure — ensuring smooth, scalable, and modern payment flows for the future.