HNB-Singer Sri Lanka partnership accelerates digitalisation of payment ecosystem

CBSL Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal (centre) with HNB MD/CEO Jonathan Alles (third from left) and Singer Sri Lanka Chairman Mohan Pandithage (third from right) with (from left): HNB DGM – Retail and SME Banking Sanjay Wijemanne, CBSL Assistant Governor Dharmasiri Kumarathunga, Singer Group CEO/Director Mahesh Wijewardene and Singer Board Director Sarath Ganegoda at the ceremony  

Pioneering the nation’s evolution in cashless and contactless payments, Sri Lanka’s most innovative private sector bank HNB PLC, partnered with Singer Sri Lanka to launch the Dynamic QR facility for the latter’s PoS (Point of Sales) terminals across the island. 

Joining a list of growing tier-one merchants adopting the new technology, Singer will now offer its customers the facility of making a direct payment for their goods via Dynamic QR, in which a unique code is generated for each transaction. Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal graced the ceremony held to launch the facility together with CBSL Assistant Governor Dharmasiri Kumarathunga, HNB Managing Director/CEO Jonathan Alles, Singer Sri Lanka Chairman Mohan Pandithage, Singer Group CEO/Director Mahesh Wijewardene and Singer Board Director Sarath Ganegoda.

“It is imperative that we make digital payments fast, effective, easy and secure in order to maintain the momentum we have built up to now in Sri Lanka’s digitalisation journey across all spheres of the economy. The Dynamic QR code facility is the next step in our journey, and we are delighted to see these bold new initiatives supported by the banking industry,” CBSL Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said, addressing the gathering. 

Notably, the tech evolution brought about by the HNB - Singer partnership supports the CBSL’s LANKAQR ‘Janagathakaranaya’ campaign to ensure all QR code-based transactions are standardised and interoperable, facilitating faster, secure and low-cost digital payments to merchants. 

The new tech eliminates the need to manually enter the payment value, increasing customer convenience and avoiding errors. This allows customers using an app linked with the LANKAQR initiative to make contactless purchases at stores by simply scanning the Dynamic QR, which appears on the display screen of the Point of Sale (PoS) machine.

“Even though the pandemic drove the initial conversion to QR based payments, we have experienced a new wave of customers coming on board for the added convenience and reliability offered by platforms like HNB SOLO. Digital wallets connected to LANKAQR have opened up new market segments which are rapidly gaining traction. HNB is uniquely positioned to drive this expansion given our robust tech infrastructure. Dynamic QR is another milestone in our digital transformation journey, and we are delighted to launch this partnership with an organisation of the calibre of Singer Sri Lanka with the patronage of the CBSL,” HNB Managing Director/CEO Jonathan Alles said. 

The innovation is also beneficial to merchants as the integration of HNB’s system with the merchant’s cash PoS results in real-time confirmation of the purchase credited to the merchant’s account. Additionally, the transaction fee that the merchants are levied for using the ‘LANKAQR’ platform is significantly lower than the fee charged by international debit/credit card brands.

Moreover, the partnership will enable all Sri Lankans, including customers of other banks, to complete transactions with Dynamic QR codes.

“The challenging conditions brought on by the pandemic has tested us all in unique ways, and each of us has had to find ways to adapt to the new normal. As Sri Lanka’s undisputed leader in consumer durables, we understand the value of providing our customers with every convenience possible. The addition of Dynamic QR codes represents the latest in a long series of innovations introduced by Singer, that leverage technology in order to make the lives of our customers easier and better,” Singer Sri Lanka Chairman Mohan Pandithage said. 

A subsidiary of Hayleys PLC, Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC is a leader in consumer durables and renowned for offering a wide range of top-quality local and international brands. With over 430 retail outlets, a strong dealer network and an E-commerce platform, Singer Sri Lanka has a portfolio of over 50 renowned brands. 

With 254 customer centres across the country, HNB is one of Sri Lanka’s largest, most technologically innovative banks, having won local and global recognition for its efforts to drive forward a new paradigm in digital banking. Consolidating its reputation for banking excellence, HNB bagged the Best Retail Bank and Best SME Bank awards in the Banking category at the International Finance Awards 2021. The bank was also ranked among the World Top 1,000 Banks list compiled by the prestigious UK-based Banker Magazine for five consecutive years. HNB was also declared Best Sub-Custodian Bank in Sri Lanka at the Global Finance Awards 2020. HNB has a national rating of AA- (lka) by Fitch Ratings (Lanka) Ltd.