மார்ச் 27, 2025

Sri Lanka Cross-Border Payments Symposium

LankaPay, Sri Lanka’s National Payment Network, successfully hosted the country’s inaugural Cross Border Payment Symposium on 27th March 2025 at the Atrium Lobby, Cinnamon Grand Colombo. The landmark event, organized in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) and other travel industry bodies, brought together a distinguished gathering of financial leaders, tourism stakeholders, and regional payment network representatives.

The symposium featured insightful discussions on Sri Lanka’s advancements in cross-border payment solutions and their transformative impact on the tourism and financial sectors. Key decision-makers from destination management companies, tour operators, and financial institutions attended the event alongside senior representatives from LankaPay’s global partner networks.

LankaPay, as the country’s trusted payment infrastructure provider, has played a pivotal role in driving digital payment innovations. Since launching its global expansion in 2022, LankaPay has established strategic partnerships with major international payment networks, including NPCI International Payment Limited (NIPL) for UPI payments, Alipay+ and WeChat Pay for cross-border QR payments, UnionPay International for cross-border ATM and QR payments, JCB International Japan for cross-border ATM and card payments, Mastercard for QR payments under the "pay as a local" initiative, and Discover Financial Services for cross-border ATM acceptance in Sri Lanka. These collaborations ensure a seamless and convenient payment experience for international visitors while reducing transaction costs for local businesses.

At the symposium, several industry experts shared their insights on global payment trends and the role of digital payments in boosting Sri Lanka’s economy. Presentations were delivered by Mr. Edward Yue, General Manager of Ant International for Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand & Global Strategic Partnerships at Ant International (Alipay+); Ms. Sandhya Panicker, Regional Vice President – APAC, Discover Financial Services; Mr. Lakshman Liyanage, Consultant to JCB International in Sri Lanka; Mr. Dhanushka Thenabadu, Manager- Retail & Commerce at Mastercard for Sri Lanka & Maldives; Ms. Sonal Asnani, Head – Asia Pacific, NPCI International Payments Ltd.; Mr. Binghan Hu, Head of South Asia – UnionPay International; and Mr. Gary Wong, Head of Innovative and Strategic Partnership - Weixin Pay Southeast Asia at Tencent. Their presentations provided valuable insights into how seamless cross-border transactions can transform Sri Lanka’s tourism and financial landscape.

A highlight of the event was the engaging panel discussion, where industry experts shared insights on regional best practices and strategies for accelerating the adoption of seamless payment solutions. The symposium underscored LankaPay’s commitment to fostering a digitally empowered economy and strengthening Sri Lanka’s financial ecosystem.