Capital of Finance
How can Stockholm strengthen its position and continue thriving as Northern Europe’s leading financial center in an ever-changing financial landscape?
The Stockholm Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to positioning Stockholm as the leading capital region in Europe. A key component of this ambition is establishing Stockholm as the Capital of Finance – a city that attracts investors, established corporations, start-ups, and financial institutions from around the world.
Stockholm’s well-established financial services infrastructure has long been a cornerstone of Sweden’s international competitiveness, making it an appealing base for global business. By cultivating a dynamic ecosystem and strengthening Stockholm’s role as a financial centre, we unlock benefits not only for the city itself, but also for the wider region and country.
As part of this initiative, we examine the factors behind the city’s emergence as a global fintech hotspot, identify opportunities to deepen the integration between financial markets and Sweden’s broader business landscape, and highlight the conditions required to support a robust and resilient economy. Through these efforts, we aim to ensure that Stockholm continues to enhance its standing on both the European and global stage.
What is Capital of Finance – and why does it matter?
Stockholm already boasts a strong and dynamic financial services industry, positioning itself as the natural capital of finance for Northern Europe. The city is home to some of Europe’s most successful private equity firms, hosts national and regional headquarters of major banks, has produced several of the world’s leading fintech companies, and serves as the region’s largest listing venue within Nasdaq.
“The continued strength and vitality of this industry are critical to driving development and investment across all sectors,” says Peter Sandberg, Deputy CEO of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce. “This focus is more important than ever, especially given today’s financial uncertainty and global instability.”
What has the initiative delivered so far, and what lies ahead?
The initiative began with a written report assessing Stockholm’s status as a financial capital, benchmarking it against other major European hubs, and identifying how to create better conditions for future growth. Since then, we have organised a range of activities – from breakfast roundtables to large-scale summits and formal dinners.
Topics discussed have included competitiveness, financial policy, investor conditions, and the European Capital Markets Union, involving ministers, business leaders, and international decision-makers from cities such as Paris and London.
“The aim has been to build a broader conversation around Stockholm’s role as a financial centre and create a shared understanding of what’s needed to strengthen it further,” says Fredrik Erfelt, Head of Business Policy at the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce. “Moving forward, we will continue to monitor and assess Stockholm’s financial sector, with a particular focus on its competitiveness and attractiveness in light of the current geopolitical challenges.”
Previous activities
Stockholms attraktionskraft i fokus på årets Finance Summit
På årets Stockholm Finance Summit samlades näringsliv, finansbransch och beslutsfattare för att diskutera hur Stockholm kan stärka sin roll som ledande finanscentrum i norra Europa. Dagen bjöd på skarpa analyser och framtidsspaningar, där internationella gäster blandades med tunga svenska röster från både offentlig sektor och näringsliv.
Finanssektorn: Så kan Stockholms finanscentrum fortsätta stärka positionen
Som norra Europas ledande finanscentrum, hur kan Stockholm stärka sin position och fortsätta att blomstra i ett ständigt föränderligt finansiellt landskap? Och vilken är finanssektorns roll i den gröna omställningen? Det diskuterades när Stockholms Handelskammare bjöd in till ”Capital of Finance: Summit”.
Finansbranschen behöver förutsättningar för att utmana globalt
Vad krävs för att Stockholm ska bli ett blomstrande finanscentrum i världsklass? Har Stockholm och huvudstadsregionen fått rätt förutsättningar för det? I samband med ett seminarium på Stockholms Handelskammares lanserades rapporten ”Capital of Finance: Stockholm som blomstrande finanscentrum?”.
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