LankaClear (Private) Limited (LankaClear) -the operator of LankaPay, Sri Lanka’s National Payment Network, together with JCB International Co., Ltd. (JCBI), the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd., announced the commercial roll-out of National Card Scheme (NCS) programme of Sri Lanka, after successfully completing the pilot stage since the announcement of the strategic partnership in June 2017. With the commercial roll-out of NCS programme, LankaPay/JCB co-badged payment cards are now accepted at ATMs and merchants on JCB network, globally. This partnership has also enabled JCB cardholders worldwide to use their cards at ATMs and POS terminals within Sri Lanka.

Under the NCS programme, MCB Bank, Regional Development Bank, HDFC Bank of Sri Lanka, Siyapatha Finance, Sampath Bank and many more banks will issue EMV enabled LankaPay/JCB co-badged cards. This marks the first ever JCB branded card issued in Sri Lanka.

At the commercial roll-out announcement held during the LankaPay Technovation Awards 2019, Mr. Channa de Silva, General Manager/CEO, LankaClear, said, “This partnership between LankaClear and JCBI is intended to help Sri Lanka to have its own National Card Scheme (NCS) adhering to the highest international standards. LankaPay/JCB cards will follow the same EMVCo standards in terms of Technology and security. This would result in lower transaction costs for both banks and merchants in Sri Lanka when facilitating payments via NCS cards issued by the banks. Sri Lankan cardholders could also benefit from the payment experience at JCB merchants outside Sri Lanka, as well as entitle to various international services and promotions offered by JCBI.”

Mr. Kimihisa Imada, President and COO, JCB International Co., Ltd. said, “We are very pleased and honoured to have the very first JCB cards in Sri Lanka collaborated with the national payment network, LankaPay. As Sri Lanka is one of the most attractive tourist destination countries in the world, especially for the travellers from other JCB card issued countries such as India, JCB appreciates LankaClear and LankaPay member banks for the strongest and continuous effort so far and ongoing to enable JCB acceptance at local ATMs and merchants. JCB keeps supporting LankaPay network with our payment technology for secure transactions locally and globally, and with our unique international brand services to enrich the customer experience of LankaPay/JCB Card members. We also look forward to seeing further achievement in the card product development area in the near future”.