News & market updates

Hatton National Bank (HNB) participated as part of an international lender consortium backing Singapore’s Aster Chemicals and Energy’s oversubscribed $1.0bn sustainability-linked syndicated term loan. The facility was upsized from an initial $700m to $1bn via a green-shoe option and links proceeds to reductions in GHG emissions intensity.

Hatton National Bank (HNB) participated in a $1.0bn sustainability-linked syndicated term loan for Singapore-based Aster Chemicals & Energy (the facility was upsized from $700m after oversubscription); proceeds are tied to greenhouse gas intensity reductions and HNB did not disclose its subscription amount.

HNB General Insurance signed a partnership with the Postgraduate Institute of Management to continue its 'HNBGI Elevation' management development programme and launch a second consecutive batch.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon CIO Sumudu Gunawardhana urged banks to join the Fintech Forum to strengthen bank–fintech partnerships and grow wallet share. He said fintechs provide agility while banks offer trust, scale and compliance support to expand digital financial services and improve cybersecurity.

HNB PLC announced a strategic partnership with TVS Lanka to offer attractive leasing packages for Sonalika tractors, expanding the bank’s leasing portfolio and supporting agricultural mechanisation and rural financing.

Hayleys tops the LMD 100 rankings for FY2024/25 with consolidated revenue exceeding Rs. 492 billion. LOLC Holdings and Carson Cumberbatch are second and third (nearly Rs. 340bn and over Rs. 323bn), while Commercial Bank leads profitability with PAT over Rs. 55bn; Browns and HNB follow.

Colombo Stock Exchange will host the 7th CSE Masterminds Quiz on 17 October 2025, offering prizes worth over Rs. 3.5 million (champion Rs.1,000,000; 2nd Rs.500,000; 3rd Rs.375,000). Sponsors from the shortlist include Ex-Pack, Sarvodaya Development Finance, Alliance Finance, Teejay Lanka, NDB (via NDB Capital) and HNB Investment Bank.

Hatton National Bank (HNB) Managing Director/CEO Damith Pallewatte has been appointed to the Governing Board of the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL). Pallewatte, appointed HNB MD/CEO in November 2024, said he will work to expand banking education as the industry adapts to digitalisation and sustainability.

HNB PLC (HNB.N0000) signed an MoU with the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission to support inventors under InnovaBiz EliteLink, offering preferential loans, expedited processing and interest reimbursement (up to 75% for patent holders, 37.5% for pending patents) plus capacity-building.

HNB.N0000 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with International Construction Consortium to offer co-branded financing, digital initiatives and promotional events to boost homeownership, with the MoU valid until 31 December 2026.

Colombo Stock Exchange will hold the 7th CSE Masterminds Quiz on 17 October 2025 offering over Rs. 3.5 million in prizes; sponsors include listed firms such as Teejay Lanka (TJL.N0000), Hatton National Bank (HNB.N0000), Alliance Finance (ALLI.N0000), Sarvodaya DF (SDF.N0000), Ex-Pack (PACK.N0000) and NDB (NDB.N0000).

Hatton National Bank Team A won the Trade Finance Association of Bankers Quiz & Social 2025 held on 13 September; Bank of Ceylon were first runner-up and Commercial Bank second runner-up. Guests highlighted the importance of digitalisation and data-driven decision-making and spoke on export sector directions.

First Capital Holdings PLC's Rs. 3 billion debenture issue, opened 23 September, was oversubscribed on the opening day. The five-year issue offers three options (Type A 11.00% p.a. annual; Type B 10.71% p.a. semi-annual; Type C = 364-day T‑bill +2.00% p.a.) and Hatton National Bank PLC acted as trustee.

Hatton National Bank hosted the inaugural Sri Lanka FinTech Summit 2025 at BMICH, where Visa launched 'Visa Accept' in Sri Lanka to enable merchants to accept card payments via smartphones without extra hardware. The two-day forum gathered regulators, banks, startups and policymakers to discuss digital payments, blockchain, AI and financial inclusion.

HNB CEO Damith Pallewatte opened the Sri Lanka Fintech Summit 2025, noting CEFT handled over 200m transactions worth Rs.17t in 2024 and calling for banks, fintechs and regulators to modernise rails, boost usage, data sharing and trust.

Hatton National Bank (HNB) launched 'HNB Accept', a Visa-powered Tap-to-Phone and Pay-by-Link mPOS feature in the HNB Mobile Banking app that lets eligible HNB Visa debit/prepaid customers accept digital payments without extra hardware, with transactions settled in near real time.

First Capital Holdings PLC's Rs. 3.0Bn five-year debenture issue was oversubscribed on the opening day. The issue offers Type A at 11.00% p.a. (AER 11.00%), Type B at 10.71% p.a. (semi-annual, AER 11.00%) and Type C linked to the 364-day T-bill + 2.00%.

HNB PLC launched HNB Accept, a Visa-powered Tap-to-Phone mPOS feature in the HNB Mobile Banking app that lets eligible HNB Visa debit/prepaid customers accept digital payments without extra hardware. Transactions route over Visa's network with near real-time settlement and built-in risk controls.

Hatton National Bank CEO Damith Pallewatte is chairing the two-day Sri Lanka FinTech Summit 2025 at BMICH, bringing global fintech leaders, regulators and policymakers to advance digital finance and support Sri Lanka’s $15 billion digital-economy target for 2030.

Hatton National Bank (HNB) and Visa launched the 'Visa Accept' solution in Sri Lanka, integrated into HNB's mobile banking app to let Visa debit/prepaid holders convert accounts into seller profiles and accept payments via tap-to-phone or pay-by-link within minutes.

The Colombo Stock Exchange's ASPI rose 0.26% to 21,282, led by gains in diversified financials, banks and capital goods. Top contributors included Hayleys, LOLC, Browns Investments, DIMO and Ceylon Cold Stores, with turnover Rs6.56bn and a net foreign inflow of Rs61.38m.

Hatton National Bank (HNB) and Visa launched 'Visa Accept' in Sri Lanka, enabling Visa-debit/prepaid holders to convert accounts into seller profiles via HNB's mobile app to accept payments (Tap-to-phone, Pay-by-link). Sri Lanka is the first global rollout, targeting micro-merchants with near-real-time settlement and built-in transaction limits.

Hatton National Bank PLC's Card Operations Department was awarded ISO 9001:2015 certification following a third-party audit of its internal processes, controls and service delivery. The audit covered end-to-end quality management for merchant clearing, transaction processing, dispute resolution, risk monitoring, chargebacks and reconciliation.

Proparco said it is ready to consider financing Sri Lankan firms now that the country has emerged from default and completed sovereign debt restructuring. The lender previously funded Commercial Bank of Ceylon and Hatton National Bank to on-lend to smaller firms, reopening a channel for development finance.

HNB PLC hosted Finnovation Lab 2025 on 2 September, bringing over 150 students from 45+ universities to promote fintech education and youth empowerment. The event was organised with partners including the Ministry of Digital Economy and granted participants complimentary passes to the Sri Lanka FinTech Summit 2025.

Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has joined GovPay, enabling tourism operators to pay the Tourism Development Levy and other SLTDA services online via banks' internet/mobile banking and connected FinTech apps. The initial rollout covers TDL payments with phased expansion planned.

SLTDA has joined GovPay, enabling Tourism Development Levy and other SLTDA payments to be made online via 14 banks and six FinTech apps (including major local banks and L B Finance's CIM). GovPay, launched Feb 2025, has processed 1,773 services totalling over Rs.110 Mn and will expand to more SLTDA payments.