Saturday Aug 01, 2026
Saturday Aug 01, 2026
Friday, 31 July 2026 00:27 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lanka’s leading brands have reached a significant milestone, with the combined brand value of the nation’s top 100 brands rising 17% to a record Rs. 652 billion, surpassing the pre-crisis 2019 peak of Rs. 630 billion, according to the Sri Lanka 100 2026 report from Brand Finance, the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy.
The strong brand performance mirrors Sri Lanka’s broader economic recovery following the country’s 2022 sovereign debt crisis. Despite the impact of Cyclone Ditwah in late 2025 which caused an estimated $ 4.1 billion (approximately Rs. 13.7 billion) in damage, the economy maintained a 5% growth in 2025, supported by stabilising inflation, improving foreign reserves and an ambitious programme of economic and digital reforms.
The banking sector continues to underpin Sri Lanka’s brand landscape, contributing 42% of the total brand value in the ranking, equivalent to Rs. 275 billion, up 14% year on year. Six out of the country’s top ten most valuable brands are banks, highlighting the sector’s central role in financing economic growth and maintaining financial stability.
Bank of Ceylon (BOC) (brand value at Rs. 65.5 billion) retains its position as Sri Lanka’s most valuable brand for the second consecutive year, reflecting the growing international profile of Sri Lanka’s financial sector.
At second place, Commercial Bank (brand value up 18% to Rs. 54.9 billion) is recognised as a leader in digital payments infrastructure and Sri Lanka’s largest interbank-payments processor.
Dialog (brand value up 16% to Rs. 41.1 billion) emerges as Sri Lanka’s strongest brand with Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 89.4/100 and an AAA brand strength rating, overtaking Keells (brand value up 16% to Rs. 26.4 billion) now second strongest brand, following continued investment in customer experience, digital services and innovation. Dialog also remains as the third most valuable Sri Lankan brand in 2026.
With a BSI score of 88.5/100 and an AAA brand strength rating, Keells slips to second place as the strongest Sri Lankan brand while Commercial Bank retains its position as the third strongest (BSI: 87/100, AAA brand strength rating).
Brand Finance Lanka Chairman Ruchi Gunewardene said: “Sri Lanka’s brands have demonstrated remarkable resilience. Surpassing the country’s pre-crisis peak is more than a financial milestone; it reflects renewed confidence in the economy and the institutions driving its recovery. While banking continues to anchor the nation’s brand landscape, the next phase of growth will depend on greater diversification, continued digital transformation and the successful adoption of AI across industries.”
Other standout brands in the Sri Lanka 100 2026 report are Sampath Bank (brand value up 5% to Rs. 26 billion), the first Sri Lankan bank to integrate PayPal withdrawals, while Nations Trust Bank (brand value up 35% to Rs. 9.9 billion) completed the acquisition of HSBC Sri Lanka’s retail banking business, consolidation its position within the banking sector.
Meanwhile, PickMe (brand value up 11% to Rs. 4.8 billion) continues to demonstrate how local innovation can outperform global competitors by addressing domestic market needs. Since its launch in 2015, the homegrown mobility platform has strengthened its position through digital payments, AI powered pricing and demand forecasting, multilingual AI customer support, and enhanced safety features, cementing its role in Sri Lanka’s digital economy.
View the complete Sri Lanka 100 2026 ranking at www.brandirectory.com.
