Strengthening Sri Lanka’s Digital Payment Landscape
LankaPay, Sri Lanka’s National Payment Network, has joined forces with Ant International, a leading global fintech provider, to introduce Alipay+ in the country. The partnership was announced at a press conference held on 25th March 2025 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo, marking a significant step towards improving digital payment accessibility for international visitors.
This collaboration enables over 400,000 LANKAQR merchants across Sri Lanka to accept mobile payments from tourists and business travellers via 14 international e-wallets connected to Alipay+ during the initial phase. The seamless payment solution allows visitors to pay using their familiar home e-wallets, enhancing both convenience and security.
Alipay+, Ant International’s cross-border mobile payment and digitalisation platform, currently connects over 1.7 billion users worldwide via 36 e-wallets and banking apps. The introduction of this solution in Sri Lanka will streamline financial transactions for inbound travellers while supporting the country’s economic growth.
Expanding Payment Convenience for Global Travellers
The first phase of Alipay+ integration in Sri Lanka will facilitate transactions for tourists from 10 key regions, allowing them to scan the LANKAQR code at participating merchants and pay instantly. The supported e-wallets include:
- China – Alipay
- Hong Kong SAR – AlipayHK
- Macao SAR – MPay
- Mongolia – Hipay
- The Philippines – GCash
- Singapore – Changi Pay, OCBC Digital
- Malaysia – Touch ‘n Go eWallet, MyPB (Public Bank Berhad), BigPay
- South Korea – Naver Pay, Toss Pay
- Thailand – TrueMoney
- Italy – Tinaba
The launch represents the largest expansion of cross-border payment solutions in Sri Lanka, enabling tourists from major inbound markets, such as China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Italy, to conduct transactions seamlessly. Emerging markets like South Korea and Thailand will also benefit from this initiative.
Driving Economic Growth Through Seamless Transactions
As Sri Lanka aims to attract 3 million international tourists and generate US$5 billion in tourism revenue in 2025, this initiative is expected to boost local commerce by enabling cashless transactions at scale. “Alipay+ in Sri Lanka marks a major milestone in our digital transformation journey,” said Channa de Silva, CEO of LankaPay. “By enabling seamless transactions for millions of global travellers, we are enhancing convenience and attracting valuable foreign exchange into the country.”
LANKAQR: A Unified Payment Ecosystem
Introduced in 2020 by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, LANKAQR is a national QR payment system designed to ensure standardised and interoperable digital transactions. Operated by LankaPay, it provides a secure and efficient payment network linking consumers, merchants, and banks.
Edward Yue, General Manager for Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand at Ant International, highlighted the impact of this collaboration: “LANKAQR offers a strong foundation for digital financial inclusion. Through this partnership, we connect global consumers to local businesses, empowering merchants with new opportunities to engage with international travellers.”
Future Expansion and Marketing Initiatives
Ant International and LankaPay will continue to expand Alipay+ e-wallet acceptance across more markets while launching joint marketing efforts to promote cashless payments and merchant adoption.
This initiative underscores Sri Lanka’s commitment to enhancing financial inclusion, supporting local businesses, and streamlining digital transactions for an increasingly global and mobile-savvy audience.
