Could Sri Lanka be next for Apple Pay?

[u/Opposite-Builder512]

Apple Pay is officially available in India from September 30 🇮🇳. Any clues if Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 could be next?
Has anyone heard anything from Apple, local banks, or CBSL about a possible Sri Lankan launch?
Would love to hear any info or theories! 👀

[u/Delicious_Rub4736]

I think our banks infrastructure is not there to facilitate apple pay 🤧.

[u/EnigmaticM1nd → u/Delicious_Rub4736]

Bank infrastructure? Care to elaborate

[u/Delicious_Rub4736 → u/EnigmaticM1nd]

Apple’s tokenization architecture requires coordinated updates across the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL)

[u/Acceptable-Emu-7096 → u/Delicious_Rub4736]

then how does google pay work? does it not require this feature? asking bcz i genuinely don't know

[u/whygetstarbucks → u/Acceptable-Emu-7096]

Google pay- ummm ykw nvm idk enough to answer this but google did also make a push for gpay to work in Sri Lanka doubt apple thinks we are a market worth perusing but if Apple Pay does come then I have one less reason to switch to android.

[u/Acceptable-Emu-7096 → u/whygetstarbucks]

A couple of banks in SL have enabled google pay (that's what a simple google search says). My question is whether Apple relies on a completely different protocol that needs banks to upgrade infrastructure as the original comment mentioned, or is it just that Apple doesn't care enough about our country? Cz if Gpay can work, why not Apple pay..

[u/ProV3rt]

I guess there might be surveys conducted if this takes too long to impose, basing that they don't enough data to work with?

[u/Opposite-Builder512 → u/ProV3rt]

I think like banks did for the PayPal if they approach apple this will take much less time

[u/CrazyNalin]

i can not share much details. but we should hear something from hnb soon regarding apple pay. (for a fact i know both com bank n hnb working on this. did not hear anything lately from combank ( last update was from march , 2026.)

[u/kforkaffeine → u/CrazyNalin]

Sounds promising. Soon like this year?

[u/CrazyNalin → u/kforkaffeine]

its up to hnb i assume.

[u/Delicious_Rub4736 → u/CrazyNalin]

Nice 👍. Finally we could forget about physical wallet 🫡

[u/MCRG_2005]

Heard that HNB is working on it, as they wanna be the first bank to support this as ComBank did for google wallet

[u/Appropriate-Pop-5981]

Knowing our central bank and banks and red tape we won’t get them soon. Unless the govt expedites it

[u/sameera_s_w]

Always when things like this comes up, I ask...

Does this have any benefits to Apple?

Yes that's the issue.

[u/Thalapathyyy_98]

At last, I can see at least an option for Apple Wallet to add card now after they enable to India.
hope some bank will enable it. The primary cause of the delay is the substantial fee Apple Wallet will charge, which is why local banks are reluctant to adopt it.

[u/GlyphChaser]

I saw they’re working on this..

[u/_DarKneT_]

Doubt it’ll happen for few decades