The Swedish Fund Selection Agency (FTN) has confirmed the fund categories it plans to procure next year, with the procurements of equity and index funds in the US & North America category expected to be next up.

The FTN confirmed that the procurements of equity and index funds in the US & North America category are on track to be announced during the first quarter of 2026, with the preliminary procurement specifications already shared online.

This will be followed by the procurement of healthcare and biotech funds, of which there are currently 11 on the platform, which will be announced later in the year.

The first procurement for fixed income is also expected between Q2 and Q4, starting with the Swedish money market funds.

However, the FTN confirmed that the order in which these procurements will be announced has not yet been determined.

Work to prepare is already underway though, as FTN executive director, Erik Fransson, confirmed that the FTN is currently adapting its evaluation methods to suit fixed income funds.

Presenting the new procurement plan in a virtual update, Fransson confirmed that these procurements are likely to have similiar mandatory sustainability requirements as in previous procurements.

This includes being a Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) signatory, as well as key exclusions, such as tobacco, coal, and nuclear weapons.

Fransson confirmed that there are also a number of ongoing procurements that are still underway.

This includes the procurement of actively managed global funds, as Fransson confirmed that the FTN is now in the interview phase, with an award decision expected in the first quarter of 2026.

There are also two ongoing procurements for small-cap funds in Sweden and Europe, which are now in the evaluation phase, with an award decision expected in Q2 of next year.

In addition to this, FTN has just launched the procurement for global technology funds, meaning that the group currently has procurements totalling SEK 400bn ongoing.

In total around 60 per cent of the total volume on the premium pension fund platform is procured or under procurement, while around 90 per cent of total equity fund volume is procured or under procurement.

Work is also underway on the next phase of work, with life-cycle funds, mixed funds, and fixed income funds expected to be a key focus of this work, as FTN has already begun preparing these categories.

Fransson confirmed that FTN will focus on established key categories, until the Premium pension fund platform only consists of procured funds, with the focus on established categories set to run until 2029.

Newer categories, such as alternatives and sector-specific funds, are not expected to move into focus until after this.

---