RegAlert

Sri Lanka: fintech & payments regulation — 2026-08

Regulated

CBN licenses MVTS and e-money; SEC regulates securities; strict capital rules apply

Frozen snapshot — the guide as it stood at the end of 2026-08. See the live guide for the current state.

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) is the primary supervisor for payment systems, e-money, and money transfer services under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulates investment-related fintech. The regulatory environment is strict, with recent amendments increasing capital requirements for Money or Value Transfer Service Providers (MVTS) to LKR 15 million.

Which licence do you need?

Your activityRequirementCapitalTimelineAuthority
Payment processing / gatewayLicencePayment Service Provider License[1]

Must join LANKAQR; strict security guidelines apply

——Central Bank of Sri Lanka
E-money & wallet issuanceLicenceMobile Phone Based E-Money License[2][3]

Issued to licensed banks/finance companies; strict KYC limits

——Central Bank of Sri Lanka
Domestic money transferLicenceMVTS Certificate of Registration[4][5]

MVTS regulations amended 2025 to raise capital floor

LKR 15 million—Central Bank of Sri Lanka
Cross-border remittanceLicenceMVTS Certificate of Registration[4][5]

Cross-border remittance falls under MVTS regime

LKR 15 million—Central Bank of Sri Lanka
Agent networkLicenceBanking Act Direction Approval

Agents of licensed banks require prior CBSL approval

——Central Bank of Sri Lanka
Open banking / account informationUncertainverify with regulator

No specific open banking framework identified

———
Foreign-exchange servicesLicenceAuthorised Money Broker Certificate[6][7]

Money broking requires CBSL authorization

——Central Bank of Sri Lanka

New — what changed recently

  • 2025-01-13MVTS Regulations No. 1 of 2025 — Increased minimum capital for MVTS providers to LKR 15 million.[4]
  • 2024-04-30MVTS Regulations No. 1 of 2024 — Established CBSL as sole regulator for MVTS and mandated Certificate of Registration.[5]
  • 2023-12-29Circular No. 4 of 2023 — Revised e-money account limits: LKR 150k for enhanced KYC, LKR 20k for basic.[2]

Market-entry checklist

  1. 1Secure MVTS RegistrationObtain Certificate of Registration from CBSL with LKR 15m capital.
  2. 2Implement LANKAQR ComplianceAdopt LANKAQR standards for QR payments and P2P transfers.
  3. 3Establish E-Money FrameworkPartner with licensed bank/finance company for e-money issuance.
  4. 4Register with FIURegister as a reporting entity for AML/CFT compliance.
  5. 5Secure Data ProtectionComply with Personal Data Protection Act No. 9 of 2022.

Sources

  1. LANKAQR National Quick Response Code Standard for Local Currency Payments and Peer-to-Peer Fund Transfers · 2026-03-13
  2. Individual Stored Value, Day, and Transaction Limits for Customer e-Money Accounts · 2023-12-29
  3. Mobile Phone Based E-Money Services · 2022-03-18
  4. Money or Value Transfer Service Providers Regulations No. 1 of 2025 · 2026-01-13
  5. Money or Value Transfer Service Providers Regulations No. 1 of 2024 · 2024-04-30
  6. Regulatory Compliance Requirements to Authorised Money Broking Companies · 2024-01-19
  7. Money Broking Regulations No. 1 of 2018 · 2018-06-18