Central Finance Company PLC

What Central Finance Company PLC does

Central Finance Company PLC is a publicly listed (Colombo Stock Exchange: CF), Sri Lanka-domiciled Licensed Finance Company founded in 1957, regulated by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka under the Finance Business Act No.42 of 2011 and Finance Leasing Act No 56 of 2000 (Reg No: PQ 67). The company provides a diversified suite of financial services spanning three primary pillars: financing (vehicle leasing for new, secondhand and reconditioned motor vehicles, business loans, SME lending, micro finance via the My First Lease three-wheeler product, and contract hire), investments (savings products including CF Savings, CF Lamaa Savings, CF Excel, CF Super, CF Senior Citizens, plus fixed deposits CF Term, CF Ultra, CF Excel, CF Optima), and ancillary services (CF Insurance Brokers, CF Budget Hire and CF Whizz vehicle rental, CF Visa Debit Card, and Careka.lk digital vehicle marketplace).

Central Finance operates 110 branches across Sri Lanka with total assets of LKR 100,041 million serving approximately 256,823 customers. The technology stack consists of the CF CLICK mobile application for customer account access and the Careka.lk digital platform for vehicle trading, supplemented by digital marketing channels (website, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube). Subsidiary holdings include Tea Smallholder Factories PLC and Central Industries PLC within the CF Group, alongside the wholly-owned Careka.lk vehicle marketplace.

The business model is primarily spread-based: interest income from the leasing and lending book funded by customer deposits, commission revenue from insurance broking (where the company claims position as Sri Lanka's largest insurance broker), and rental income from vehicle hire operations. Customer segments span individual savers, vehicle buyers across consumer and commercial categories, SMEs, micro-entrepreneurs, and enterprise fleet customers. Pricing is published via interest rate schedules on the company website, with explicit unit-pricing on hire services (e.g., LKR 2,090/day for CF Budget Hire) and subscription pricing on the CF Assist Premium Club membership (LKR 1,000 registration). The company maintains a Fitch credit rating of A (lka) with Stable Outlook, with eligible customer deposits insured under the Sri Lanka Deposit Insurance Scheme up to LKR 1.1 million per customer.

Name

Central Finance Company PLC

Legal name

Central Finance Company PLC

Website

https://cf.lk

Company type

Public

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Central Finance Company PLC is a publicly listed Sri Lankan Licensed Finance Company (Colombo Stock Exchange: CF) founded in 1957, providing vehicle leasing, hire/fleet management, insurance broking, deposits, savings, and SME lending to over 256,000 customers across 110 branches nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer & Vehicle Finance

NAICS

Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)

SIC

Finance Lessors (6172)

akta.pro primary industry

SME Equipment & Asset Finance (Leasing, Fleet, Capex) (FSABABAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fleet & Commercial Vehicle Finance (FSAKADAE)

Keywords

• Vehicle leasing
• Asset financing
• Micro finance
• Insurance broking
• Savings deposits

Headquarters

HQ city

Kandy

HQ country

Sri Lanka

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 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. Asset Leasing: Financing and refinancing for new, secondhand and reconditioned motor vehicles including cars, buses, lorries, three-wheelers, jeeps, tractors, agricultural machinery, and construction equipment
2. Vehicle Hire Services: Daily and long-term vehicle hire services including Fleet Hire, CF Budget Hire, CF Whizz, and CF Short Hire offerings
3. Insurance Broking: Insurance broking services as the largest Insurance Broker in Sri Lanka, providing protection for assets and health
4. Savings and Deposits: Various savings and fixed deposit products including CF Savings, CF Lamaa Savings, CF Excel Savings, CF Super Savings, CF Senior Citizens Savings, CF Term, CF Ultra, CF Optima
5. Business Loans and SME Lending: Working capital and business expansion financing for SMEs and businesses
6. Contract Hire: Contract Hire, Finance, Sale and Leaseback for Companies and Businesses - Sri Lanka's No. 1 Fleet Management Solution
7. Micro Finance: Micro finance services for self-employed individuals including My First Lease for three-wheeler and mini truck financing

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Central Finance Company PLC is a Licensed Finance Company providing asset leasing for new, secondhand and reconditioned motor vehicles; vehicle hire (daily and long-term fleet hire); deposit and savings products; SME and business loans; micro finance; and insurance broking services as Sri Lanka's largest insurance broker. Operations span 110 branches across Sri Lanka with supporting digital platforms including the CF CLICK mobile app and the Careka.lk vehicle trading platform.

Product overview

Central Finance Company PLC is Sri Lanka's leading financial services provider offering a comprehensive suite of financial products and services since 1957. The company's core offerings are organized across three main pillars: (1) Investment Products including multiple savings accounts (CF Savings, CF Lamaa Savings, CF Excel Savings, CF Super Savings, CF Senior Citizens Savings) and fixed deposit products (CF Term, CF Ultra, CF Excel, CF Optima, CF Senior Citizen Deposits); (2) Financing Solutions comprising vehicle leasing for new, secondhand and reconditioned motor vehicles, My First Lease for three-wheelers and mini trucks, business loans, contract hire with fleet management, micro finance, and SME lending; and (3) Vehicle Hire Services including Fleet Hire, CF Budget Hire, CF Whizz, and CF Short Hire. Additional services include CF Insurance Brokers (Sri Lanka's largest insurance broker), the CF Visa Debit Card, and the digital vehicle trading platform Careka.lk. The company also provides the CF CLICK mobile app for account management and the CF Assist Premium Club for fleet vehicle owners. The company operates across 110 branches with Total Assets of Rs. 100,041 million and serves 256,823 customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CF Insurance Brokers: Insurance broking services offering protection for assets and health with unmatched services, claimed to be the largest Insurance Broker in Sri Lanka.
• CF Click
• Careka.lk
• CF Assist Premium Club
• CF Budget Hire
• CF Whizz
• CF Short Hire
• CF Kalin Poli
• CF Visa Debit Card

Products and services

• CF Savings Savings account product for individual customers offering high returns and guaranteed stability.
• CF Lamaa Savings Savings account designed for Muslim customers complying with Islamic finance principles.
• CF Excel Savings Savings account with competitive interest rates for individual customers.
• CF Super Savings Premium savings account with enhanced interest returns for individual customers.
• CF Senior Citizens Savings Specialized savings product for senior citizens offering preferential interest rates.
• CF Term Deposits Fixed term deposit product offering secure, stable returns for individual customers.
• CF Ultra Premium fixed deposit product with enhanced interest rates.
• CF Optima Optimized fixed deposit product with competitive returns and flexible tenure options.
• CF Senior Citizen Deposits Fixed deposit scheme designed for senior citizens with special preferential rates.
• CF Kalin Poli Special savings product with flexible terms for individual customers.
• Vehicle Leasing Financing and refinancing for new, secondhand and reconditioned motor vehicles including cars, buses, lorries, three-wheelers, jeeps, tractors, agricultural machinery, and construction equipment for individual and business customers.
• My First Lease Three-wheeler and mini truck financing specifically designed for self-employed individuals for income generation.
• Business Loans Fast and flexible funding solutions for SME business financial requirements including working capital and business expansion.
• Contract Hire Contract Hire, Finance, Sale and Leaseback services for companies and businesses, including Sri Lanka's No. 1 Fleet Management Solution.
• Fleet Hire Daily or long-term vehicle hire services for single vehicles or large fleets, positioned as Sri Lanka's number one fleet management solution.
• CF Budget Hire Daily vehicle hire service for cars starting at Rs. 2,090 per day for individual and business customers.
• CF Whizz Short-term vehicle hire service with quick turnaround for individual and business customers.
• CF Short Hire Brief vehicle rental service for short-duration needs for individual customers.
• CF Insurance Brokers Insurance broking services for protection of assets and health, with Central Finance positioned as the largest Insurance Broker in Sri Lanka.
• Micro Finance Micro finance services for small business owners, self-employed individuals, and entrepreneurs to support income generation and small enterprise growth.
• SME Lending Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) lending services supporting business growth, working capital needs, and expansion for SMEs in Sri Lanka.
• CF Visa Debit Card Visa debit card providing secure and convenient banking transactions for Central Finance customers.
• Careka.lk State-of-the-art online platform and mobile app to buy, sell, lease or finance any vehicle across Sri Lanka, operated as a Central Finance subsidiary.
• CF CLICK Mobile App Mobile application for customers to securely and conveniently access their account and facility information with Central Finance.
• CF Assist Premium Club Premium annual membership club for vehicle owners from Central Finance Fleet Management Services providing 24/7 roadside assistance, accident support, claim processing, lubrication services, and expert mechanical repairs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Rs. 100,041 Millions in Total Assets
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ceylon Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2025Co-chair of Sri Lanka Preparedness Partnership during Cyclone Ditwah relief efforts. Central Finance contributed through emergency relief coordination, volunteer mobilization (190+ hours), and assistance to affected communities.
• A-PAD Sri Lanka (All Japan Ready)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2017Partnership in campaign to combat excessive heat in Sri Lanka. Central Finance joined conglomerates MAS intimates, Brandix in supporting A-PAD's disaster management awareness campaign with the Ministry of Disaster Management and Ministry of Health.
• Certified Management Accountants of Sri Lanka (CMA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2014MOU partnership making Central Finance a recognized practical training establishment for CMA students. Provides opportunity for CMA students to obtain training in Management Accounting & Finance field which acts as foundation for career progression.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• DFCC Bank PLC: Sri Lankan development finance institution offering leasing, SME, and deposit products — overlaps with Central Finance's asset finance and SME lending business under a broader commercial bank charter.
• Hatton National Bank PLC: Major Sri Lankan commercial bank with leasing, deposits, and SME lending franchises; broader portfolio than Central Finance but operates in the same markets with overlapping products.
• Sampath Bank PLC: Large Sri Lankan commercial bank with leasing, deposits, and SME lending arms — competes with Central Finance in deposit gathering and SME credit, though operating under a full banking license.
• Nations Trust Bank PLC: Sri Lankan commercial bank offering leasing, deposits, and SME lending; a broader incumbent with similar customer base, also notably linked to Central Finance's MD who previously chaired this bank.

Direct peers

• HNB Finance PLC: Sri Lankan Licensed Finance Company providing leasing, hire purchase, and deposits, serving similar SME and individual segments as Central Finance.
• Senkadagala Finance PLC: Sri Lankan Licensed Finance Company providing leasing, deposits, and SME financing — a close comparable to Central Finance's asset finance and deposit-taking model.
• Lanka ORIX Leasing Company PLC (LOLC Finance): Sri Lankan Licensed Finance Company focused on leasing, deposits, micro finance, and SME lending with overlapping products and customer base with Central Finance.
• Softlogic Finance PLC: Sri Lankan Licensed Finance Company offering leasing, gold loans, deposits, and SME lending — overlapping customer segments and product categories with Central Finance.
• People's Leasing & Finance PLC: Sri Lankan Licensed Finance Company offering leasing, hire purchase, deposits, and SME lending — directly comparable to Central Finance's core business mix and customer segments.
• Commercial Credit & Financial Services PLC: Sri Lankan Licensed Finance Company offering leasing, fixed deposits, and business loans; directly comparable in business model, regulation, and product set to Central Finance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCeI2eBhqlmJSJYKMFnxyDTA
• Facebookfacebook.com/CentralFinanceCompanyPLC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/central-finance-90730a15a

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Central Finance Company PLC