The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has issued a firm reminder to merchants that imposing additional fees, typically ranging from 2.5% to 3%, on payments made by credit or debit cards is strictly prohibited.
Addressing concerns raised during a recent Monetary Policy Review media briefing, a CBSL official urged consumers to demand receipts if they encounter extra charges beyond the advertised price and to report such violations to their card-issuing banks.
“These surcharges are unfair penalties imposed on customers who choose convenient cashless payment methods,” the official said.
The warning comes amid growing complaints about hidden fees being added at retail outlets and service providers, undermining efforts to promote digital transactions across the country.
Highlighting the increasing reliance on cashless payments, the CBSL disclosed that Sri Lanka now processes approximately 1.6 million digital transactions daily.
Of these, nearly 800,000 are made via credit and debit cards, while around 600,000 occur through online platforms.
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