News

Here you can find news from FI.

2019

Clarification on the impact for Swedish banks from revised Basel standards

2019-12-23 | EBA News Stability

In relation to the report published by the European Banking Authority (EBA) in August Finansinspektionen would like to make the following clarification on the impact for Swedish banks of the revised Basel standards. According to Finansinspektionen’s calculation, the increase in tier 1 minimum required capital would be about 30 per cent instead of 53 per cent as shown in the report from the EBA (keeping the assumptions and methodology set by EBA, but taking into account the current Swedish mortgage floor for the current risk-weighted assets).

FI opens sanction case in SEB investigation

FI is opening a sanction case in the investigation into Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB’s (SEB) governance and control of measures to combat money laundering in the bank’s subsidiaries in the Baltic countries.

Planned service disruptions in FI’s reporting systems

2019-12-02 | News Reporting Markets

From Monday, 2 December, to Tuesday, 10 December, all of FI’s reporting systems will experience service disruptions or closures due to planned maintenance and updates. The extent to which individual systems will be affected will vary.

Capital requirements of Swedish banks as of Q3 2019

Finansinspektionen publishes the capital requirements of the largest Swedish banks and credit institutions that belong to supervisory categories 1 and 2 as of the end of Q3 2019.

FI opens sanction case in Swedbank investigation

FI is opening a sanction case in the investigation into Swedbank AB’s governance and control of measures to combat money laundering in the bank’s subsidiaries in the Baltic countries.

Decision regarding the countercyclical buffer rate

Finansinspektionen (FI) decided on 24 October not to change the countercyclical buffer rate. The buffer rate of 2.5 per cent, which has applied since 19 September 2019, shall thus continue to apply. The countercyclical buffer guide is set at 0.16 per cent.

ESRB recommendation to Sweden for vulnerabilities in the residential real estate sector

2019-09-23 | ESRB Mortgage News

The European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) has issued warnings to five EEA countries and recommendations to six EU countries for medium-term vulnerabilities in their respective residential real estate sectors. Sweden is one of the countries that receives a recommendation. The recommendation suggests appropriate actions to address the identified vulnerabilities. In 2016, the ESRB issued a warning to Sweden regarding risks in the residential real estate sector.

Martin Noréus resigns from FI

2019-09-18 | News About FI Bank

FI’s Deputy Director General and Executive Director of Banking, Martin Noréus, has resigned from his position at FI to become Chief Compliance Officer at Handelsbanken.

Reinhold Europe AB must pay administrative fine

Finansinspektionen (FI) has decided that Reinhold Europe AB must pay an administrative fine of SEK 750,000.

StrateVic Finance Group AB must pay administrative fine

Finansinspektionen (FI) has decided that StrateVic Finance Group AB must pay an administrative fine of SEK 1,500,000.

New rules on contingency mechanisms for a dedicated interface

2019-09-13 | PSD 2 News Bank

New rules enter into force in the EU on 14 September 2019 on contingency mechanisms for a dedicated interface. Finansinspektionen would therefore like to provide the following information for firms under supervision.

New rules on strong customer authentication

2019-09-13 | PSD 2 EBA News

FI is publishing a Q&A on new rules that will go into effect on 14 September.

Comments to questions about conflict of interest in the supervision of Swedbank

2019-08-29 | News About FI Bank

Due to the announcement that Folksam’s CEO Jens Henriksson has been named President and CEO of Swedbank, FI has received questions about whether this gives rise to a conflict of interest since FI’s Director General Erik Thedéen was previously Managing Director of KPA, which Folksam owns together with SKL.

Timeframe for investigations into Swedish banks’ management of money laundering risks in the Baltics

During the month of July, FI sent notification letters to SEB and Swedbank as part of the investigations into the banks’ management and control of money laundering risks in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Capital requirements of Swedish banks as of Q2 2019

Finansinspektionen publishes the capital requirements of the largest Swedish banks and credit institutions that belong to supervisory categories 1 and 2 as of the end of Q2 2019.

New Chief Legal Counsel

2019-08-19 | News About FI

Eric Leijonram named Chief Legal Counsel at Finansinspektionen.

FI’s Director General Erik Thedéen reappointed to ESMA’s Management Board

2019-07-11 | ESMA News About FI

FI’s Director General Erik Thedéen was reappointed to the Management Board of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) for a further 2½ year term.

Decision regarding the countercyclical buffer rate

Finansinspektionen (FI) decided on 5 July not to change the countercyclical buffer rate. The buffer rate of 2.5 per cent, which will be applied as of 19 September 2019, shall thus continue to apply. The countercyclical buffer guide is set at 0.04 per cent.

Hoylu AB receives an administrative fine

Finansinspektionen (FI) has decided that Hoylu AB (Hoylu) must pay an administrative fine of SEK 2.1 million due to deficiencies in following the EU Market Abuse Regulation (MAR). Hoylu, a company in the field of communication, is an issuer listed on Nasdaq First North.

Banks’ lending to commercial real estate firms requires more capital

2019-05-28 | News Stability Markets

Finansinspektionen (FI) considers the firms in the Swedish financial system to have sufficient resilience for withstanding a weaker economy. However, commercial real estate firms are vulnerable to shocks. FI therefore makes the assessment that the banks need more capital for these exposures. This is one of the conclusions in FI’s first stability report for the year, which is being presented today.

Capital requirements of Swedish banks as of Q1 2019

Finansinspektionen publishes the capital requirements of the largest Swedish banks and credit institutions that belong to supervisory categories 1 and 2 as of the end of Q1 2019.

Nordic and Baltic financial supervisors enhance cooperation to fight money laundering

Heads of the Nordic and Baltic financial supervisors met today in Stockholm. They agreed on measures to enhance the cooperation between the authorities with the aim of fighting money laundering and terrorist financing.

Decision regarding the countercyclical buffer rate

Finansinspektionen (FI) decided on 6 May not to change the countercyclical buffer rate. The buffer rate of 2.5 per cent, which will be applied as of 19 September 2019, shall thus continue to apply. The countercyclical buffer guide is set at 0.15 per cent.

FI’s comments following publication in the media of extracts from verification letters

FI sends verification letters at an early stage of its investigation process, and the aim of this letter is to verify the facts of the case. Verification letters may at times also include preliminary assessments, but these assessments assume that the information FI received is correct and has been understood correctly.

TRS2 Test environment will be closed for an upgrade

2019-04-24 | News Reporting Markets

On Wednesday, 29 April 2019, the test environment of TRS2 will be closed and not available due to an upgrade to a new version of the system. Finansinspektionen will announce when the system is available again.

FI comments on the recent events involving Swedbank

Over the past few weeks, the media has reported on potentially major problems related to money laundering primarily in Swedbank’s Estonian operations. These reports have caused the bank’s share price to fall and had a negative impact on the bank’s reputation.

More households are amortising, but households still have high debt

2019-03-27 | Mortgage News Stability

New mortgagors are amortising, borrowing less and buying less expensive homes, but many still have high debt. These are FI’s conclusions in this year’s mortgage report. FI is also publishing an FI Analysis that shows the stricter amortisation requirement has reduced the percentage of borrowers with high debt in relation to their income.

Report from Forensic Risk Alliance is part of FI’s investigation

FI has received a copy of Swedbank’s external review that was initiated by reports in the media of suspected money laundering in the Baltics.

FI has received report on suspected money laundering

FI confirms that it received a report from Swedbank on 1 March regarding suspected money laundering.

FI’s liquidity coverage ratio requirements in individual currencies and diversification of covered bonds in the liquidity buffer

2019-03-05 | Regulations News Bank

In this memorandum, Finansinspektionen (FI) develops its view on several specific areas of the EU regulatory framework for liquidity regulation.