Fund Picking in Sweden – Like Mushroom Picking, But for Your Wallet

Swedish funds are like mushrooms in the forest: a thousand varieties, weird names, and the real danger is not knowing which ones will kill your appetite for investing forever.”

Let’s break it down practically, so you know what separates one “global index fund” from another and how to pick them “safely”:

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1. Fee (Förvaltningsavgift) — Most important over the long term

Lower = better. You’re not paying for active management here, just tracking. So why pay more?

Compare these popular ones:

• Avanza Global – ~0.10%
• Länsförsäkringar Global Indexnära – ~0.22%
• Handelsbanken Global Index (A1 SEK) – ~0.43%

Over 20 years, that 0.10% difference can mean thousands of kronor less in fees.

For the record, I have NO affiliation with Avanza other than me having an account there.

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2. Index Tracked — What companies are in your “basket”?

Most global funds track:

• MSCI World = ~1,500 large companies in developed markets
• MSCI ACWI = MSCI World plus emerging markets (like India, Brazil, China)

Tip:
If your fund says “Global” but doesn’t include emerging markets, you might want to add a separate emerging markets fund for full global exposure.

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3. Currency & Broker Compatibility — SEK vs USD

Some funds are:

• SEK-denominated and smooth inside an ISK (like Avanza Global)
• Others are international and could add currency risk or be taxed differently in an Aktie- och fondkonto (AF)

Stick to SEK-denominated Swedish funds if you want simplicity in your tax return.

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4. ESG Filtering (Etikfonder) — Ethical investing

Some funds skip companies involved in oil, tobacco, weapons, etc. These may:

• Have slightly different performance
• Charge slightly higher fees

But if values matter to you, it may be worth it.

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So, which is best?

Here’s a quick cheat sheet of solid, widely loved options:

• Avanza Global: ~0.10% fee, super cheap, simple, good core fund
• Länsförsäkringar Global Indexnära: ~0.22% fee, slightly higher fee, strong reputation
• Handelsbanken Global Index (A1 SEK): ~0.43% fee, if you want sustainability included
• Swedbank Robur Access Global: ~0.24% fee, another safe bet, solid fund family

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Final Thought:

Don’t obsess over perfect. The best fund is one you actually invest in and stick with. Slight differences in fee or index are less important than consistency.

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But… But… How Do I Actually Pick Funds?

Fund	Fee	ESG?	Best For
Avanza Global	0.10%	No	You want the cheapest, cleanest, click-it-and-go option.
Länsförsäkringar Global Indexnära	0.22%	No	You like the idea of a trusted Swedish institution and don’t mind the small fee bump over Avanza Global
Handelsbanken Global Index (A1 SEK)	0.43%	Yes	You want to avoid investing in companies with dodgy ethics, even if it costs a few öre more.
Swedbank Robur Access Global	0.24%	Partial	You bank with Swedbank or want broad access and decent sustainability filtering.

Fees are accurate as of July 2025

TL;DR:

• Lowest fee, minimal thinking? Avanza Global
• Lowest fee with ethics?  Handelsbanken Global Index A1 SEK, or Handelsbanken USA Index A1 SEK (even lower fee than the Global Index A1 but has a USA focus)
• Trusted name + solid rep? Länsförsäkringar Global
• Already with Swedbank or want partial ESG? Swedbank Robur Access Global

You can’t really go wrong with any of them. They all track the MSCI World Index (so roughly same companies), all fit neatly inside an ISK, and all have solid track records.

Pick one that aligns with your values, banking setup, or just the one whose name you like best. If your brain is fried, just go Avanza Global and call it a day. Mum life is full of bigger decisions.

How do I check the fee for each fund?

On Avanza, just:

1. Search for the fund’s name in the search bar.
2. Click on the fund’s page.
3. Look for something like “Årlig avgift” (Annual Fee). It’s usually shown as a percentage, e.g. 0.10% or 0.30%.
4. You might also see “Förvaltningsavgift” (Management Fee). This is often lower than the annual fee, but the annual fee is what you actually pay in total. It includes everything baked in (admin, marketing, etc.).

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Who gets this fee?

The fund provider. Think AMF, Swedbank, Länsförsäkringar, Handelsbanken, not Avanza (unless it’s their fund, like Avanza Global).

So:

• If you buy Handelsbanken Global Index (A1 SEK), the ~0.43% fee goes to Handelsbanken.
• If you buy Avanza Global, the ~0.1% fee goes to Avanza + the index-tracking partner they license from (like Amundi).

This fee is automatically deducted from the fund’s value. You won’t see it pulled from your account like a bill, but your fund’s performance reflects it.

Hope this helps.