Sampath Bank

What Sampath Bank does

Sampath Bank PLC is a publicly listed Sri Lankan commercial bank incorporated under Company Registration PQ 144 and headquartered at 110 Sir James Peiris Mawatha, Colombo 02. Established in 1987, the bank operates across four customer verticals — Retail/Personal Banking, Business Banking/SME, Corporate Banking, and Private Banking — and serves individual consumers, professionals, small and medium enterprises, large corporates, and high-net-worth families (with Private Banking gated at a minimum Rs. 20 million deposit relationship or Rs. 1 million monthly salary). Distribution combines an island-wide physical branch and ATM/CDM network with digital channels including Sampath Vishwa (Retail and Corporate internet banking), WePay digital wallet, mobile apps on iOS and Android, SMS banking, telebanking, missed call banking, and slip-less banking, plus 24/7 self-service cash recyclers and cheque deposit kiosks.

The bank's core technology stack is a multi-channel digital banking platform. Sampath Vishwa provides online account management, fund transfers, bill payments, credit card servicing, and loan origination; WePay is a Virtual Visa wallet with LankaQR scan-and-pay, social share money transfers, bill payments to 100+ billers, and touchless ATM withdrawals; the Sampath Corporate Payment System (SCPS) handles encrypted bulk salary, supplier, and third-party payments; and the Internet Payment Gateway enables merchant e-commerce acceptance including AliPay. The card portfolio spans Visa, Mastercard, and American Express across credit, debit, corporate, and prepaid variants, and the bank has integrated PayPal, Google Pay, and LankaQR as acceptance and disbursement rails. Specialized lending products address MSME (SEPI-II, Kapruka Ayojana, NCRCS Sarusara, ADB SMELoC 2, Stimulate Package), agriculture (Pledge Loan 7% p.a.), housing (Sevana, Dayada, Foreign Currency), personal (Sampath Samachara, Professional, Educational), and green finance (Sampath Solar Loan, SAMPATH GREEN FD).

Sampath generates revenue through traditional banking mechanics: net interest income from loan book spreads across housing, personal, business, MSME, agricultural, and corporate financing; fee and commission income from transactions, credit cards, foreign exchange, trade finance, and remittances; and digital banking service charges (e.g., Rs. 5 per missed call banking SMS, Rs. 5 per cardless ATM withdrawal, Rs. 25 per interbank fund transfer). The bank operates exclusively in Sri Lanka (single-country footprint), is structured as a public limited company listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange with no parent or subsidiaries disclosed, and is led in part by Ms. Shyanika Hewage as Head of Private Banking. No revenue, headcount, M&A, or external funding figures are disclosed in the available source material.

Name

Sampath Bank

Legal name

Sampath Bank PLC

Website

https://sampath.lk

Company type

Public

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Sampath Bank PLC is a publicly listed Sri Lankan commercial bank established in 1987, offering retail, SME, corporate, and private banking services through an island-wide branch network and digital platforms (Sampath Vishwa, WePay, mobile apps) to individual, business, and high-net-worth customers across Sri Lanka.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (522110), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)

SIC

State Commercial Banks (6022)

akta.pro primary industry

SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI)

Keywords

• Retail banking services
• Corporate banking services
• Digital banking platform
• MSME and agricultural lending
• Trade finance and remittances

Headquarters

HQ city

Colombo

HQ country

Sri Lanka

HQ region

Asia

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Interest Income: Traditional banking revenue from interest spreads on loans including housing loans, personal loans, business loans, and corporate financing facilities
2. Fee and Commission Income: Transaction fees, service charges, credit card fees, foreign exchange commissions, and trade finance charges
3. Digital Banking Services: Revenue from electronic banking services including SMS alerts, mobile banking, and online transactions

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Sampath Bank PLC is a Sri Lankan commercial bank providing retail, business, corporate, and private banking services through an extensive island-wide branch network and digital banking channels. Its core offerings span current and savings accounts, fixed and foreign currency deposits, housing and personal loans, MSME and agricultural lending, corporate trade finance, foreign remittances, credit/debit/prepaid cards, digital wallets, and wealth management services. Revenue is generated primarily through interest income on loans and advances, fee and commission income, and recurring digital banking service charges.

Product overview

Sampath Bank is a Sri Lankan commercial bank offering a comprehensive multi-channel banking platform with retail, corporate, and private banking services. The core digital banking infrastructure centers on Sampath Vishwa (internet banking platform with Retail and Corporate variants), WePay digital wallet, and an extensive ATM/network of Cash Recycler Machines and Cheque Deposit KIOSKs. Supporting digital services include SMS Banking, Mobile Cash Facility, Telebanking, Missed Call Banking, Slip-less Banking, and Sampath Z Reload for mobile top-ups. The card portfolio spans Visa, Mastercard, and American Express credit cards with affinity and co-branded variants, corporate cards, debit cards, and prepaid cards. Trade finance capabilities include Export House, Import Financing, and Factoring services. Specialized lending products address MSME needs (SEPI-II, NCRCS Sarusara, ADB SMELoC 2), housing (Sevana, Dayada), agriculture (Kapruka Ayojana, Pledge Loans), and renewable energy (Solar Loans). Treasury products, Safe Deposit Lockers, Pawning, and Private Banking complete the comprehensive service offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WePay: Digital wallet application for QR payments, fund transfers, bill payments, and touchless ATM withdrawals
• Sampath Vishwa
• Sampath Vishwa Retail
• Private Banking
• Digital Samachara Loan
• Sampath Bank Private Banking

Products and services

• Sampath General Current Account Standard current account product for personal banking customers, offering everyday transactional banking capabilities for individuals.
• Sampath Supreme Current Account Premium current account offering for personal banking customers with enhanced transactional privileges.
• Sampath Double S Savings Account Regular savings account for individual customers seeking to grow their deposits.
• Sampath Sanhinda Saver Account Senior citizen savings account offering preferential benefits for older customers.
• Money Market Account Money market savings account for individuals seeking higher returns on their liquid funds.
• Sampath Dream Planner Goal-based investment savings account for individuals planning for future financial milestones.
• Sampath Pubudu & Sapiri Children's savings account designed to cultivate early saving habits among minors.
• Sampath X SET Account Teenage savings account targeting young customers to introduce them to banking services.
• Ladies 1st Savings Account Ladies savings account tailored to female customers with specific benefits and features.
• Fixed Deposits Standard fixed deposit account for personal banking customers seeking guaranteed returns over a fixed term.
• Sampath ODFD (On Demand Fixed Deposit) On-demand fixed deposit product combining flexibility of a savings account with returns of a fixed deposit.
• Certificate of Deposit Negotiable certificate of deposit for personal and business customers.
• Sampath Sanhinda FD Fixed deposit product offering preferential interest rates for senior citizens.
• SAMPATH GREEN FD Eco-friendly fixed deposit product with proceeds supporting green and sustainable projects.
• Personal Foreign Currency Account (PFCA) Foreign currency deposit account for personal customers holding funds in currencies other than LKR.
• Sampath EXPAT Account (SEA) Foreign currency account designed for Sri Lankan expatriates managing overseas income.
• Sampath FC Prime Premium foreign currency account for high-value personal customers.
• Sampath Professional Account Account for professional customers offering preferential loan interest rates including 0.25% reduction on housing loans and vehicle leasing. Personal loans up to Rs. 3 million.
• Sevana Housing Loan Home financing product with competitive interest rates for personal customers purchasing residential property.
• Sampath Dayada Housing Loan Alternative housing loan product for personal customers with tailored repayment options.
• Foreign Currency Housing Loan Housing loan denominated in foreign currency for customers with foreign income sources.
• Sampath Samachara Personal Loan Personal loan product for meeting individual financial needs with flexible repayment options.
• Professional Loan Personal loan product designed for professional account holders.
• Educational Loan Personal loan for funding education expenses of students.
• Digital Samachara Loan Instant digital loan facility for government pensioners offering loans up to Rs. 5 million with repayment periods up to 15 years, accessible 24x7 through Sampath Vishwa.
• Sampath Leasing Vehicle and equipment leasing solutions for individuals and businesses with flexible repayment terms.
• Sampath Randiriya (Pawning) Gold and jewelry pawning service providing quick access to credit against pledged collateral.
• Sampath Vishwa Retail Internet banking platform for personal customers offering account management, fund transfers, bill payments, credit card access, and loan applications online.
• Sampath Vishwa Corporate Corporate internet banking solution for business customers to manage bulk payments, salary disbursements, and third-party payments.
• WePay Digital Wallet Mobile digital wallet enabling QR code payments via LankaQR, fund transfers, bill payments to 100+ billers, social share payments, touchless ATM withdrawals, and merchant QR acceptance.
• Sampath Cardless Cash Cardless cash withdrawal service allowing account holders to withdraw cash from ATMs using mobile PIN or NIC verification without debit cards.
• Cash Recycler Machine Multi-function cash machine handling cash deposits and withdrawals up to Rs. 200,000 daily, bill payments, and cardless transactions, available 24/7.
• Cheque Deposit KIOSKs Self-service kiosks enabling instant cheque deposits with scanned receipt generation, available 24/7 at select branches.
• Telebanking Telephone banking service allowing customers to conduct routine banking transactions including balance inquiries, fund transfers, and bill payments over the phone.
• Mobile Cash Facility Mobile money transfer service enabling senders to transfer cash up to Rs. 200,000 daily to recipients who can collect at any branch or ATM islandwide.
• Sampath Z Reload (SMS Reload) Mobile phone reload service allowing account holders to reload Airtel, Dialog, Hutch, and Mobitel phones via SMS to 8822.
• SMS Banking SMS-based banking service for balance inquiries, fund transfers, cheque status checks, and bill payments using text message commands.
• Missed Call Banking Balance inquiry service activated by giving a missed call to 011 2 30 30 80, instantly delivering account balance via SMS.
• Slip-less Banking App Mobile app enabling cash deposits and withdrawals without filling deposit/withdrawal slips, using digital transaction confirmation.
• Sampath PayPal Integration Integration service enabling users, freelancers, and SMEs to link PayPal accounts and withdraw global earnings directly to Sampath Bank accounts in LKR or USD through the Sampath Vishwa Mobile App.
• Sampath Corporate Payment System (SCPS) Bulk payment system enabling automated salary, supplier, and third-party payments to accounts at Sampath Bank and other banks through encrypted file processing.
• Internet Payment Gateway Online payment gateway facilitating secure e-commerce and online transaction processing for merchants, supporting Google Pay and AliPay collection channels.
• PayEasy Online Payment Solution Online payment solution enabling customers to make utility bill payments, credit card settlements, and other merchant payments via the Payeasy.lk portal.
• Sampath Automated Bill Settlement Facility (SABS) Automated bill settlement service for recurring utility and service payments through linked bank accounts.
• Credit Cards Portfolio Comprehensive credit card portfolio including Visa Infinite Metal, Visa Infinite, Visa Signature, Mastercard World, American Express Platinum Ultramiles, Platinum, Gold, Classic, affinity cards, and co-branded cards.
• Debit Cards Debit card offerings including Smart-Shopper International Debit Card and Sampath PayBand for account access and payments.
• Corporate Cards Business credit cards including Sampath Mastercard Corporate Credit Card, Visa Corporate Credit Card, Corporate Fuel Card, Visa Purchasing Credit Card, Mastercard Purchasing Credit Card, and Mastercard Business Credit Card.
• Sampath Web Card Prepaid virtual card for online transactions and e-commerce purchases without linking to a bank account.
• Ultra Rewards Credit card loyalty rewards program offering points redemption for purchases made with Sampath credit cards.
• Ultramiles Travel-focused loyalty rewards program for frequent travelers earning miles on credit card spending.
• Safe Deposit Lockers Secure storage service for valuable items and documents in bank-provided safe deposit boxes.
• Factoring Invoice factoring services providing businesses with immediate cash flow by selling accounts receivable.
• E-Remittance Electronic international money transfer service for receiving remittances from abroad.
• Sampath RemitWise International money transfer service enabling fast and secure cross-border payments.
• Student Remittance Service Specialized remittance service for funding education expenses of students studying abroad.
• MSME and Agricultural Loan Schemes Comprehensive MSME lending programs including SEPI-II, NCRCS Sarusara, Kapruka Ayojana (8% p.a. up to Rs. 10Mn), Pledge Loan Scheme (7% p.a. up to Rs. 50Mn), ADB SMELoC 2, and Stimulate Package (7-8% p.a. up to Rs. 25Mn) supporting small businesses and agriculture.
• Sampath Solar Loan Business loan product financing solar panel installation and renewable energy projects for enterprises.
• Sampath Savi Liya Business Loan Business loan product designed for SMEs and registered businesses to support working capital and expansion needs.
• Trade Finance Services Comprehensive trade finance solutions including letters of credit, documentary collections, and bank guarantees for import/export transactions.
• Export House Services Specialized services for exporters including trade documentation, foreign exchange, and export financing.
• Cash Management Services Corporate cash management solutions including liquidity management, payment processing, and collection services.
• Corporate Finance and Investment Banking Services Investment banking services including IPO sponsorship, margin trading, escrow services, and custodian services for corporate clients.
• Renewable Energy Financing Specialized financing for renewable energy projects including solar, wind, and other sustainable energy initiatives.
• Insurance Products (Bancassurance) Life insurance, travel insurance, and SLIC Life Insurance Protection products offered through bank branches.
• Private Banking Service Bespoke banking service for high-net-worth individuals offering personalized financial solutions and lifestyle privileges with minimum Rs. 20 million deposit or Rs. 1 million monthly salary requirement.
• Platinum Plus Relationship Banking Premium relationship banking service with enhanced benefits, priority service, and exclusive privileges for valued customers.
• Merchant Acquiring - POS Terminals Point-of-sale terminal services enabling merchants to accept card payments from customers.
• Payeasy.lk Online Payment Platform Online payment platform enabling customers to pay bills and make purchases through the Payeasy.lk portal.
• SMS Alertz Notification Service Transaction alert service delivering SMS notifications for account transactions, credit card activities, utility payments, and account status updates.
• Sampath Payment Guaranteed Cheques Cheque payment guarantee facility attached to current accounts for personal and business customers.
• Sampath Samaja Club and Societies Account Specialized current account product for clubs, societies, and registered community organizations.
• Sampath Thilina Gift Vouchers Bank-issued gift voucher product available to personal customers for gifting and personal use.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC: Largest privately-owned commercial bank in Sri Lanka, offering similar full-service retail, corporate, and trade finance products through an island-wide branch and digital network. Most direct comparable to Sampath Bank.
• Hatton National Bank PLC: One of Sri Lanka's largest listed commercial banks with comparable retail, SME, corporate, and private banking offerings and a similar emphasis on digital banking channels.
• Seylan Bank PLC: Listed Sri Lankan commercial bank offering retail, corporate, and treasury services with a similar product breadth and digital channel mix to Sampath Bank.
• Nations Trust Bank PLC: Mid-sized listed Sri Lankan commercial bank with comparable retail cards, digital banking, and SME offerings; competes directly in the same customer segments as Sampath.
• DFCC Bank PLC: Listed Sri Lankan development and commercial bank with overlapping SME, corporate, and retail products, plus an MSME/agricultural lending focus similar to Sampath.

Broad incumbents

• Bank of Ceylon: Sri Lanka's largest state-owned commercial bank with dominant deposit base and nationwide footprint; competes head-on with Sampath across retail, SME, and corporate segments.
• People's Bank: Major state-owned commercial bank in Sri Lanka providing full-service retail, SME, and corporate banking, with strong rural and agricultural lending presence.
• Standard Chartered Sri Lanka: Foreign bank with a Sri Lankan branch network offering retail, corporate, and trade finance; overlaps with Sampath in corporate banking, credit cards, and wealth services.
• HSBC Sri Lanka: Global bank's Sri Lankan presence focused on corporate, trade, and HNW banking; competes with Sampath in corporate finance, FX, and cross-border payments.
• National Savings Bank: State-owned savings institution offering deposit and retail lending products, competing with Sampath in deposits and small-ticket personal loans.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SampathBankPLC

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sampath Bank