Business
FriMi and Mastercard continue to elevate lifestyles with digital payment solutions
FriMi, the first fully-fledged digital bank in Sri Lanka powered by Nations Trust Bank PLC, continues its strong partnership with Mastercard Sri Lanka to make digital payments effortless by bringing the best lifestyle solutions to loyal customers.
As part of the #MasterYourWorld campaign focused on improving digital payments across Sri Lanka, Mastercard has partnered up with Glomark.lk to provide a 10% discount on purchases made above Rs. 5,000 and with Daraz.lk to provide 5% off on the first transaction as a new Daraz user. In addition to being able to access their money effortlessly, FriMians also can now use their FriMi virtual or physical Mastercard Debit Card at the above online merchants to enjoy these exclusive deals.
Commenting on the continuous partnership, Sandun Hapugoda, Country Manager for Sri Lanka and Maldives at Mastercard stated, “Sri Lanka has witnessed a rapid uptake in digital payments in recent years, and Mastercard has played a significant role in accelerating the adoption of digital payments over the years. With the #MasterYourWorld campaign, we wish to further encourage the usage of digital payments across the country and support Central Bank, Sri Lanka’s campaign for driving awareness around digital payments.
He further added, “Nations Trust Bank and FriMi have been at the forefront of enabling digital payment solutions in Sri Lanka and we’re delighted to strengthen our partnership with FriMi, to serve their unique clientele better. As the first fully-fledged digital banking experience in Sri Lanka, FriMi vibes in harmony with our ethos, and we believe that #MasterYourWorld campaign will reach even higher numbers with both Mastercard and FriMi coming together to promote it and making a significant impact towards the vision of a digital nation.”
“FriMi remains the benchmark digital payment solution, continuously upgraded with state-of-the-art technology and robust industry partnerships, bringing customers the best lifestyle offers in the industry. At Nations Trust Bank, we understand that the average new age customer spends large amounts of time online and has impressive online experiences. So, when they look at their digital banking experience, they are not just comparing one local bank with another, they are comparing us to those global giants. That is the standard they hold us to, so that is the level we improve both our technology and services to. The partnership with Mastercard enables us to extend the FriMi service, and to give our customers exclusive benefits. Mastercard has always been supportive of us to give the best lifestyle solutions to FriMi users and this campaign will further strengthen the digital solutions our customers receive,” said Randil Boteju, Senior Vice President – Sales & Digital Banking of Nations Trust Bank.
During the past festive season, #TheCardWithPerks had lined up a series of lifestyle offers and added to the excitement by selecting winners every day during the mega giveaway campaign and awarding them with a brand-new Amazon Echo Dot Smart Speaker.
FriMi provides a fully enabled virtual debit card for all FriMi users whilst they can also request for a physical vertical personalized debit card to use at physical locations. The FriMi Mastercard debit card offers users with exclusive perks all-year-round. To find out more about the variety of exclusive lifestyle choices at multiple merchants on offer for FriMi Mastercard Debit Card customers, please visit https://www.frimi.lk/offers
FriMi the fully-fledged digital banking experience powered by Nations Trust Bank consists of ground-breaking products and services that are designed and developed to delight customers thus providing novel experiences. It was ranked amongst the Top 30 Best Digital Financial Services Providers in the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa as one of the Best Digital Banks & Financial Institutions by The Asian Banker. Named one of the Top 10 E-Commerce brands of Sri Lanka, FriMi was showcased in the LMD Brands Annual Report 2020 as compiled by Brand Finance Lanka. It is available on Android, iOS and Harmony OS and anyone in Sri Lanka above the age of 18 years can get on board FriMi by downloading the app. FriMi is powered by Nations Trust Bank PLC which is among the top 15 business establishments in Sri Lanka as ranked by Business Today and is strongly focused on digital empowerment through cutting-edge digital banking technologies.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka today (07) presented its flagship publication, the Annual Economic Review for 2024 (AER 2024), to President and Minister of Finance, Anura Kumara Disanayake, highlighting the steady progress of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery following the country’s most severe downturn in recent history.
The report was officially handed over by Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of the Central Bank, during a special ceremony held at the Presidential Secretariat.
AER 2024 comprises four main chapters: Macroeconomic Developments, Conditions of the Financial System, Review of Central Bank’s Policies and Macroeconomic Outlook.
According to the Review, the Sri Lankan economy showed significant signs of recovery in 2024, following the deep economic crisis experienced two years ago. The recovery trajectory, though challenging, has been notably faster than that of many other debt-distressed countries.
Improvements in economic activity, a partial resurgence in purchasing power and reduced uncertainty are among the key positive indicators noted in the report.
The event was attended by Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President, K. M. Mahinda Siriwardena, Secretary to the Treasury, Mrs. K. M. A. N. Daulagala, Senior Deputy Governor, Dr. C. Amarasekara, Assistant Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) S. Jegajeevan, Director of Economic Research and Dr. L. R. C. Pathberiya and Additional Director of Economic Research at the Central Bank Dr. V. D. Wickramarachchi.
[PMD]
Business
IceWarp expands into Sri Lanka, fostering European innovation in collaboration with FentonsIT
IceWarp, a global leader in business communication solutions, has officially launched its cutting-edge platform in Sri Lanka, bringing European expertise in email and collaboration solutions to support the country’s evolving business landscape.
This expansion is driven by a strategic partnership with Fentons Information Technology (FIT), the Information Technology arm of Hayleys Fentons Limited.
The grand launch event held at The Kingsbury Colombo on 4th April, 2025, was graced by several distinguished guests, including Chief Guest Mohan Pandithage, Chairman and Chief Executive of Hayleys PLC.
The presence of Adam Paclt, Global CEO of IceWarp, and Pramod Sharda, CEO for India and the Middle East of IceWarp, along with their global team, highlighted the significance of this expansion. Industry experts, government officials, corporate leaders, and CIOs from the banking, financial services and insurance sectors were in attendance as well, reflecting strong local interest in IceWarp’s European expertise.
With this launch, Sri Lankan businesses now have access to an affordable, scalable and secure alternative to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. IceWarp’s advanced Collaboration Suite integrates a wide range of tools into a single, unified platform designed to streamline communication and boost productivity. Offering flexible hybrid deployment options and cost-efficient solution, IceWarp enables organisations to optimise their operations without compromising security or functionality.
Eventistry Sports, a trailblazer in innovative sporting events, has unveiled the Sri Lanka Padel League (SLPL), the nation’s first franchise-based padel tournament, set to debut in June 2025. This groundbreaking league promises to redefine Sri Lanka’s sports landscape by creating a dynamic national platform for athletes while fostering unity among fans, brands, and communities.
The SLPL will showcase six franchise teams, each embodying the spirit of iconic Sri Lankan locales: the Colombo Chargers, Yala Rangers, Hikkaduwa Riders, Ella Hawks, Arugambay Vipers, and Trinco Warriors. These teams will not only ignite regional pride but also unite the country through a shared passion for padel—a fast-paced racquet sport merging tennis and squash, played on enclosed courts.
“The SLPL is more than a league; it’s a movement,” declared Karin Wijeratne, Director of Eventistry Sports. “By blending franchise sports with Sri Lanka’s vibrant culture, we’re creating a platform where players gain national recognition, fans rally behind their hometown heroes, and brands engage with communities in meaningful ways.”
The league’s launch on June 21–23, 2025, at Colombo’s Padel House courts (CR&FC) will kick off with three days of high-octane matches, preceded by a star-studded player auction on May 16th at The Vault, Colombo City Centre. Local talent—both professional and intermediate—will be drafted by franchise owners, with international registrations now open to elevate the competition’s global appeal.
Please log in to: www.slpadelleague.com and social media: @SriLankaPadelLeague (Facebook & Instagram) for more information.
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