A stable, well-functioning financial market for all
A stable, well-functioning financial market for all
Bank Barometer H2 2025: Lending growth slowed and banks’ profitability decreased
The Swedish banks’ profitability, including net profit, decreased in the second half of 2025. Lending increased more among consumer credit firms than among other firms in the banking sector, which overall experienced a clear slow-down in lending. The major banks also continued to lose market shares on the Swedish lending market. These are the main findings in this publication of the Bank Barometer.
The Bank Barometer describes the Swedish banking system and is published twice a year. The report presents statistics on lending, profitability and funding per category of bank and credit market firm. The report is descriptive, and its aim is not to assess the stability of the Swedish banking system.
Decreased profitability
The Swedish banks’ average profitability and net profit decreased in the second half of 2025, primarily due to a decrease in net interest and net financial income as well as increased costs.
Major banks continued to lose market shares
The Swedish banking market is concentrated, and seven banks account for more than 80 per cent of the lending to the public. The major banks continued to lose market shares on the Swedish lending market in the second half of 2025. Mortgage banks, but also savings banks and consumer credit firms, increased their market shares the most.
Clear slow-down in lending
During the fourth quarter of 2025, lending to the public increased by 0.9 per cent compared to the same quarter the previous year. This marked a clear slow-down compared to the second quarter of 2025, when lending increased by 1.7 per cent. The lower growth rate was primarily due to a decrease in lending to non-financial firms.
Consumer credit lending constitutes only 4 per cent of the total lending to the public in Sweden, but it is the type of lending that has grown the fastest over time. Consumer credit firms account for the largest share of consumer credit lending, and their lending continued to increase during the second half of 2025.
