Best Payment Gateways in Sri Lanka in 2026

Sri Lankan online stores, freelancers, and MSMEs are replacing cash on delivery with digital checkout as cross-border sales and subscription revenue grow. E-commerce transaction value in the country passed US$4.61 billion in 2024, with card payments up more than 27% year over year, according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. The operational problem for merchants is settlement: local gateways hold funds for one to three business days, international cards carry surcharges, and Stripe does not serve the country at all.

The strongest option for businesses in 2026 is NOWPayments. It supports 350+ digital assets and 30+ stablecoins, charges a 1% deposit service fee that volume partners can cut to 0.3%, and clears payouts at a 0% service fee with finality under one minute. The platform combines acceptance, mass payouts, conversions, custody balances, and monetization tools in one account, which fits merchants selling beyond Sri Lanka, marketplaces, affiliate platforms, and high-volume cross-border teams.

Here is the list of the top payment gateways in Sri Lanka:

1. NOWPayments
2. PayHere
3. WebXPay
4. DirectPay
5. Genie

What Payment Gateways in Sri Lanka Need to Handle

Businesses operating in the country need a gateway that manages local rails, settlement delays, currency exposure, and international reach.

Key requirements include:

• Local payment method coverage. Accept Visa, Mastercard, LankaQR, and wallets such as eZ Cash, mCash, Genie, and FriMi, since these dominate online payment methods in Sri Lanka.
• Settlement speed. Compare payout timelines: local fiat gateways settle in one to three business days, while crypto settlement clears in minutes.
• Transparent fees. Check per-transaction rates, cross-border surcharges of 1% or more, premium card markups, and monthly plan costs.
• Crypto option. Digital-asset acceptance removes card surcharges and FX markups for international customers.
• Compliance. Prefer providers with Central Bank of Sri Lanka approval or equivalent licensing for your customer base.
• Integrations. Verify plugins and API coverage for WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, or your custom stack.

How We Ranked These Five Gateways

We compared the providers on three criteria that matter for businesses selling in or from Sri Lanka in 2026:

• Supported Assets and Payment Methods. Coin coverage, stablecoin settlement, local card and wallet rails, and QR support.
• Transaction Fees. Processing rates, conversion fees, cross-border surcharges, payout charges, and any platform or monthly costs.
• Business Features. Deposit and payout speed, mass payouts, API quality, plugins, custody options, subscriptions, and customer support.

*Rates, networks, and settlement options change frequently. Verify current terms on each provider’s official site before signing up. Local fiat fees are published in LKR; ranges reflect plan tiers.

NOWPayments

Best for: Merchants that want acceptance, payouts, conversions, and custody in one business ecosystem.

Skip it if: You only sell to local customers in LKR through cards and QR codes.

NOWPayments is a crypto payment gateway built as a full business ecosystem rather than a single-purpose checkout: enterprise-grade payments, treasury and payout infrastructure, monetization tools, and business support in one place. The platform is custodial by default, so wallet infrastructure, rate locking, confirmations, and outbound transfers run inside one balance while non-custodial flows stay available for merchants who prefer them. Merchants can also earn inside the ecosystem through the 25% lifetime affiliate program and volume discounts, which add a revenue layer on top of processing. Website checkout, POS links, and donation flows all run from the same account.

Supported Payment Methods. The catalog spans 350+ coins and tokens across 40+ networks, with 30+ stablecoins including USDT and USDC for settlement. Merchants collect through hosted invoices, billing links, a low-code payment button, web-based POS, donation tools, and plugins for WooCommerce. 

Feature	NOWPayments
Total Assets	350+
Stablecoins	30+
Networks	40+
Checkout Tools	Invoices, payment links, buttons, POS, plugins, donations

Transaction Fees. Service fees start at 1% for single-currency deposits and 1.5% for multi-currency deposits, and partners can reduce the single-currency rate to 0.3% through ChangeNOW Pro payout usage, long-term volume discounts, or voluntary verification. Coin conversions cost 0.5%, payouts carry a 0% service fee, and eligible ChangeNOW Pro payouts have a $0 network fee. Integration, setup, dedicated support, and account optimization cost nothing extra.

Fee Type	Rate
Single-Currency Deposits	From 1%, down to 0.3%
Multi-Currency Deposits	1.5%
Conversions	0.5%
Mass Payouts	0% service fee
ChangeNOW Pro Payouts	$0 network & service fee

Business-Focused Features. Payments and payouts reach finality in under one minute, with 99% of deposits clearing inside that window and mass payouts averaging 1–3 minutes for 1,000+ recipients per batch. The custody feature stores, converts, and sends funds from a custodial balance, while auto-conversion routes incoming coins into stablecoins at 0.5% to remove volatility. A fixed-rate option locks the exchange rate at invoice creation. The API covers payments and payouts with sub-second payment functionality available, and support runs 24/7 with a personal account manager.

Feature Area	Key Capabilities
Deposit Speed	99% <1 min finality
Mass Payouts	1,000+ recipients; 1–3 min; 0% service fee
Custody	Store, convert, and send from one balance
Volatility Control	Fixed rate + auto-conversion to stablecoins
Network Fees	$0 network fee option via ChangeNOW Pro
Support	24/7 human support; personal account manager

What Makes NOWPayments Different:

• All-in-one ecosystem. Manage payments, payouts, conversions, custody, subscriptions, and treasury from one dashboard.
• Monetization built in. Fees start at 0.3%, with 25% lifetime affiliate commissions and free account optimization.
• Ecosystem backing. Part of the wider NOW ecosystem: ChangeNOW exchange service, NOWNodes, and NOW Wallet.

Sources:

• NOWPayments Official Website
• NOWPayments help center
• NOWPayments API documentation

PayHere

Best for: Startups and SMEs that want to start accepting LKR online within days.

Skip it if: You need digital-asset acceptance, high-risk industry support, or same-day settlement.

PayHere is the most widely used Sri Lankan payment gateway among local online sellers and the first to receive Central Bank approval. The company, founded by the team behind the Helakuru app, processes through a partnership with Sampath Bank, so merchants settle to a Sampath account. Its tiered plans cover everyone from Facebook sellers to established stores, and onboarding takes about a week.

Supported Payment Methods. PayHere accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and Diners Club, plus local wallets such as eZ Cash, mCash, Genie, FriMi, and Sampath Vishwa, and LankaQR. International customers can pay in USD, EUR, GBP, or AUD, with a 1% cross-border surcharge on top of the base rate. Merchants integrate through hosted checkout, payment links, or plugins for WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, PrestaShop, and OpenCart, making it a complete payment gateway for website checkouts, with sandbox access and IPN webhooks for custom builds.

Feature	PayHere
Cards	Visa, Mastercard, AmEx, Discover, Diners Club
Local Wallets	eZ Cash, mCash, Genie, FriMi, Sampath Vishwa
QR	LankaQR
Currencies	LKR, USD, EUR, GBP, AUD
Plugins	WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, PrestaShop, OpenCart

Transaction Fees. The Lite plan is free to run and charges 3.90% per transaction with a monthly volume cap of LKR 200,000. Plus cuts the rate to 2.99% for LKR 2,990 per month, and Premium drops it to 2.69% for LKR 9,990 per month with no volume limit. Foreign-currency payments add 1%, premium cards add 0.5%, and the local HelaPay rail processes at a discounted 1.99%. There is no setup fee on any plan.

Fee Type	Rate
Lite	3.90% (free monthly, LKR 200K cap)
Plus	2.99% (LKR 2,990/month)
Premium	2.69% (LKR 9,990/month)
Foreign Currency	+1%
Premium Cards	+0.5%
HelaPay	1.99%

Business-Focused Features. Card authorization completes in seconds at checkout, and settled funds reach the merchant’s Sampath bank account in two to three business days. Recurring billing, split payments, refund management, and a fraud-detection layer are built in, and the “Verified by PayHere” badge is a recognized trust signal for local shoppers. A 24/7 phone hotline (0115 339 339) backs the merchant dashboard. High-risk verticals such as gambling and adult content are not eligible.

Feature Area	Key Capabilities
Authorization	Real-time (seconds)
Settlement	T+2–T+3 business days
Recurring	✅
Split Payments	✅
Security	PCI DSS Level 1
Support	24/7 hotline

What Makes PayHere Different:

• Fastest local launch. Free plan, self-serve onboarding, and plugins for every major e-commerce platform.
• Deepest local wallet coverage. eZ Cash, mCash, Genie, FriMi, and Sampath Vishwa out of the box.
• 24/7 human support. A published round-the-clock hotline, rare among local fiat providers.

Sources:

• PayHere fees
• PayHere for business

WebXPay

Best for: Growing businesses that invoice customers or bill subscriptions and need next-day cash flow.

Skip it if: You want a fully self-serve signup, or you only process occasional small payments.

WebXPay is a Sri Lankan fintech partnered with HNB, and it was the first local company to build invoicing and payment links directly into its gateway. The platform targets SMEs moving up to enterprise volumes, with an omnichannel stack that includes online checkout, in-store XPOS, and XSPLIT installment conversion. It holds ISO 27001 and PCI DSS certifications, and settlement runs on a T+1 cycle.

Supported Payment Methods. WebXPay accepts Visa, Mastercard, AmEx, Discover, Diners Club, and China UnionPay, alongside wallets such as FriMi, Genie, eZ Cash, mCash, Sampath Vishwa, and Upay. QR coverage includes LankaQR, UPI for Indian customers, and Alipay+ for regional wallets. Merchants can activate multi-currency acceptance for a one-time LKR 5,000 fee, and integrations cover WooCommerce and Shopify plus mobile SDKs for custom apps.

Feature	WebXPay
Cards	Visa, Mastercard, AmEx, Discover, Diners, UnionPay
Wallets	FriMi, Genie, eZ Cash, mCash, Sampath Vishwa, Upay
QR / Regional	LankaQR, UPI, Alipay+
Multi-Currency	LKR 5,000 one-time activation
Certifications	ISO 27001, PCI DSS

Transaction Fees. The X-Wallet plan charges 2.5% per transaction with a LKR 1,000 annual fee, while X-Gateway runs 2.8% at LKR 2,490 per month and Premium drops to 2.6% at LKR 8,990 per month. Enterprise tiers publish rates down to 2.3%, and volume-based pricing cuts the local and foreign Visa/Mastercard rate from 2.90% to 2.50% above LKR 25 million in monthly processing. LankaQR transactions process at 1.00%, and AmEx ranges from 3.50% to 3.99%.

Fee Type	Rate
X-Wallet	2.5% (LKR 1,000/year)
X-Gateway	2.8% (LKR 2,490/month)
X-Gateway Premium	2.6% (LKR 8,990/month); enterprise from 2.3%
High-Volume Tier	2.50% above LKR 25M/month
LankaQR	1.00%
AmEx	3.50–3.99%

Business-Focused Features. Checkout authorization completes in real time, and WebXPay settles funds to the merchant’s bank account the next business day. Built-in invoicing, payment links, and recurring billing cover subscription workflows without third-party tools. Volume-based pricing rewards growth, and the clean public security record appeals to compliance-conscious finance teams.

Feature Area	Key Capabilities
Authorization	Real-time (seconds)
Settlement	T+1 (next business day)
Invoicing / Links	✅
Recurring	✅
Installments	XSPLIT
Omnichannel	XPOS in-store

What Makes WebXPay Different:

• Next-day settlement. T+1 payout beats every other local fiat gateway in this comparison.
• Built-in business tools. Invoicing, payment links, and subscriptions come standard, not as add-ons.
• Volume economics. Published tiers down to 2.3% reward merchants as processing grows.

Sources:

• WebXPay
• WebXPay e-commerce gateway

DirectPay

Best for: B2B invoicing, subscription businesses, and billers that need bank-network reach.

Skip it if: You want published fixed pricing or a consumer wallet brand behind your checkout.

DirectPay is a licensed Sri Lankan fintech backed by NDB, with a merchant base built heavily around billers, government-adjacent payments, and B2B flows. The platform connects to the JustPay bank network, so customers can pay from any participating bank account. It works well as an online payment gateway for service businesses that invoice rather than run a classic storefront.

Supported Payment Methods. DirectPay accepts Visa, Mastercard, and AmEx and routes bank account payments through the JustPay network with LankaQR and FriMi wallet support. Merchants collect through hosted checkout, payment links, or the WooCommerce plugin, and the API covers custom integrations. Multi-channel reach matters for billers: DirectPay reports that 70%+ of Sri Lankan billers accept payments through its ecosystem.

Feature	DirectPay
Cards	Visa, Mastercard, AmEx
Bank Network	JustPay (any participating bank)
QR / Wallets	LankaQR, FriMi
Integration	Hosted + API + WooCommerce
Backing	NDB (National Development Bank)

Transaction Fees. DirectPay publishes approximate ranges rather than a fixed rate card: expect roughly 2.6% to 3.5% per transaction depending on plan tier and monthly volume, with service fees on lower tiers. Pricing is quote-based, so merchants should confirm current rates directly before committing. Setup costs are negotiated per business profile.

Fee Type	Rate
Transaction Fee	~2.6–3.5% (plan/volume-based)
Setup	Quote-based
Recurring	Tokenization available

Business-Focused Features. Card and bank payments authorize in real time, and settlement lands in the merchant’s bank account within two business days, with some partner platforms reporting three-day cycles. Tokenization supports recurring charges for subscription products, and the invoicing tools target B2B billing rather than retail carts. Dispute resolution runs through the merchant dashboard.

Feature Area	Key Capabilities
Authorization	Real-time (seconds)
Settlement	T+2 business days
Recurring	Tokenization
B2B Tools	Invoicing, payment links
Disputes	Dashboard-based resolution

What Makes DirectPay Different:

• Bank-network reach. JustPay connectivity lets any participating bank’s customers pay directly.
• Biller ecosystem. 70%+ of Sri Lankan billers already accept payments through its rails.
• NDB backing. A licensed, bank-affiliated provider carries extra weight in compliance reviews.

Sources:

• DirectPay
• DirectPay for business

Genie

Best for: Mobile-first sellers, social commerce, and small retailers that live on QR and wallet payments.

Skip it if: You run a complex online store with subscriptions, or you need responsive enterprise support.

Genie is the merchant arm of the Genie wallet from Dialog Axiata, Sri Lanka’s largest telecom, and it reaches a massive built-in consumer base through the Dialog network. The gateway is wallet-centric and mobile-first: merchants self-onboard in minutes and start collecting through payment links, QR codes, or an e-store builder. For social sellers and delivery businesses, it is often the fastest way to start taking digital payments.

Supported Payment Methods. Genie accepts Visa, Mastercard, and AmEx, plus Genie wallet balances, eZ Cash, QR payments, and direct debits from linked savings or current accounts. Merchants collect through payment links, the built-in e-store, or plugins for WooCommerce, with webhooks and an API for custom flows. There are no transaction limits per payment or per month on standard merchant accounts.

Feature	Genie
Cards	Visa, Mastercard, AmEx
Wallets	Genie Wallet, eZ Cash
QR	LankaQR (daily settlement)
Bank	Linked savings/current accounts
Tools	E-store, payment links, plugins, API

Transaction Fees. Genie charges no setup fee and no monthly fee, working on pure pay-as-you-go pricing. Published commission ranges run from 1.5% to 2.5% per transaction depending on the payment channel, with wallet payments at the lower end of the range. Merchants should confirm the exact rate for their mix of cards, wallets, and QR in the dashboard before launch.

Fee Type	Rate
Commission	1.5–2.5% per transaction
Setup / Monthly	Free
Limits	None per transaction or month

Business-Focused Features. Wallet and card payments confirm instantly at checkout, and settlements reach the merchant’s linked bank account within one to two business days, while LankaQR transactions settle daily. The dashboard covers order management, refunds, tax handling, and checkout customization with branding options. Support responsiveness receives mixed reviews from merchants, so teams with complex needs should factor that in.

Feature Area	Key Capabilities
Confirmation	Instant (wallet/card)
Settlement	1–2 business days; daily for LankaQR
Order Tools	Refunds, tax handling, branding
Integration	Webhooks, API, WooCommerce plugin
Onboarding	Self-serve (minutes)

What Makes Genie Different:

• Zero fixed costs. No setup, no monthly fee, no volume limits.
• Telecom-scale reach. Direct access to Dialog’s consumer wallet base.
• Fastest onboarding. Self-serve merchant signup gets sellers collecting the same day.

Sources:

• Genie Business
• Genie Official Website

How to Choose a Payment Gateway in Sri Lanka

The best payment gateway in Sri Lanka depends on your customers, transaction volume, and settlement needs. Consider these factors before choosing:

1. Customer location: Choose PayHere, WebXPay, or Genie for local LKR payments and NOWPayments for international transactions.
2. Total fees: Compare processing rates, cross-border charges, monthly fees, and conversion costs.
3. Settlement speed: WebXPay settles next business day, PayHere in 2–3 days, and crypto providers in minutes.
4. Payment methods: Check support for local wallets, QR payments, and international options.
5. Custody: Choose between managed balances and direct wallet settlement.
6. Compliance: Verify local regulations, KYB requirements, and country restrictions.
7. Integration: Test checkout, payment confirmation, and settlement before launching.

Payment Gateway Fees Compared

Headline rates only tell part of the story: cross-border surcharges, conversion spreads, withdrawal minimums, and settlement cadence all shift the real cost of processing.

Provider	Platform Fee	Payment Fee	Cost per $1,000 Equivalent
NOWPayments	$0	0.3–1%	~$3–10
PayHere	Free – LKR 9,990/mo	2.69%–3.90%	LKR 8,070–11,700
WebXPay	Free – LKR 8,990/mo	2.3%–2.8%	LKR 6,900–8,400
DirectPay	Quote-based	~2.6%–3.5%	LKR 7,800–10,500
Genie	Free	1.5%–2.5%	LKR 4,500–7,500

*Rates are based on publicly available pricing pages and may vary by volume, verification level, and settlement method. Local figures are published LKR rates on an approximate LKR 300 = $1 basis. Verify current fees directly with each provider.

Total Cost Analysis

Costs for using a gateway in Sri Lanka include processing fees, cross-border surcharges, conversion spreads, withdrawal charges, and settlement times.

• NOWPayments: Fees range from 0.3% to 1.5%, with 0% payout service fees and $0 network fees for eligible ChangeNOW Pro payouts.
• PayHere: 2.69%–3.90% per transaction, plus 1% on foreign currency and 0.5% on premium cards, with monthly fees on paid plans.
• WebXPay: 2.3%–2.8% by plan and volume, with LankaQR at 1.00% and next-day settlement improving working capital.
• DirectPay: Quote-based pricing around 2.6%–3.5%; confirm the full rate card before signing.
• Genie: 1.5%–2.5% with no fixed costs; the cheapest local option for wallet-heavy payment mixes.

How Processing Costs Scale with Payment Volume

The difference becomes clearer as monthly payment volume grows. At $1 million in processed payments, a 1% fee costs $10,000, while a 2.69% fee reaches $26,900.

The chart below illustrates how processing costs scale across five providers using representative transaction rates. Monthly platform fees, cross-border surcharges, conversion spreads, and withdrawal costs are excluded.

What Other Fees Should Businesses Consider?

Beyond transaction fees, payment gateways may charge for setup, monthly plans, foreign currency payments, and additional services. These costs vary by provider and can affect the total cost of accepting payments.

The chart below compares the additional fees and charges across five payment gateways in Sri Lanka.

When to Choose Each Payment Gateway: Decision Framework

Match each provider to your checkout, volume, and compliance needs.

Choose NOWPayments if you:

• Need acceptance, mass payouts, and conversions in one platform.
• Want custodial balances with a non-custodial option available.
• Prefer deposit fees from 0.3% to 1%.
• Need 0% payout service fees and $0 network fee payout options.
• Value 24/7 support and a personal account manager.

Choose PayHere if you:

• Sell locally in LKR and want the fastest launch.
• Need broad local wallet coverage.
• Want a free entry plan and 24/7 phone support.

Choose WebXPay if you:

• Invoice customers or run subscriptions.
• Need next-business-day settlement.
• Expect volume growth that unlocks 2.3%–2.5% rates.

Choose DirectPay if you:

• Run B2B invoicing or biller-style payments.
• Need JustPay bank-network reach.
• Want a licensed, NDB-backed provider.

Choose Genie if you:

• Sell through social channels or QR codes.
• Want zero setup and monthly fees.
• Target mobile-first local customers.