FinTech Summit 2025 in Colombo to drive US $ 100mn investment

By Rukaiya Riza

Sri Lanka’s first-ever FinTech Summit 2025 will chase US $ 100 million in investment pledges this September, the organisers said yesterday, calling it the next phase of the island’s economic reboot.

The digital finance summit of South Asia will be hosted in Colombo at the BMICH, on September 24 and 25, 2025. 

The summit will focus on the theme of empowering the digital economy of Sri Lanka, which will boost the process of digitalisation in this country and make Sri Lanka a hub of fintech in the region.

Hosted by Texa (Pvt.) Ltd and the Digital Economy and Finance Ministries, HNB and the FinTech Forum of Sri Lanka, the summit will be attended by over 2,000 representatives of 25+ countries as well as over 150 speakers of the international fintech community.

Among the ambitious objectives of the summit in 2030 is an aim of attracting US $ 500 million in foreign direct investments annually, attaining a 95 percent level of financial inclusion and supporting more than 200 locals fintechs. The industry would play a role of contributing 3 percent of GDP of the country, the organisers said.

The all-digital agenda consists of 60 panel discussions with five stages, six major themes of digital currency, AI, blockchain, financial inclusion, regulatory innovation and start-up innovation. The event will demonstrate the latest solutions and facilitate the collaboration of the government, financial institutions, tech innovators and investors. “These aren’t just numbers; they are the building blocks of our economic transformation,” summit co-chair and tech body TECSA Chief Executive Kumudu Megasuriya said, commenting on the goals. Deputy Digital Economy Minister Eranga Weeraratne noted that shifting even 35 percent of Rs.1.3 trillion now circulating as cash to e-payments could unlock Rs.450 billion for growth. He urged a nationwide mix of QR codes, transit cards and peer-to-peer transfers, supported by digital credit scoring. Meanwhile, HNB CEO and MD Damith Pallewatte, also a co-chair of the summit, called for a “coherent vision and governance framework”, so the investors see clear rules, stressing that multiple access points would help the consumers ditch cash.