Finance companies are an important part of Sri Lanka’s non-bank financial system, but the term should not be used as a synonym for every online lender. A licensed finance company is a specific regulated institution. An online lending website may have a different legal status, and a comparison service may not lend money at all.
The distinction matters because searches such as finance companies, financial institutions and finance companies near me often mix several different needs: finding a licensed company, locating a physical branch, comparing a loan, checking a deposit product or verifying whether a website represents a regulated institution.
What is a finance company in Sri Lanka?
In Sri Lanka, finance companies are regulated under the Finance Business Act framework and supervised by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. CBSL places the sector under non-bank financial institutions. Its current FAQ says an applicant for a finance-company licence must be a public company, meet the required core-capital level and be able to comply with the applicable directions and rules.
The same CBSL FAQ currently states a core-capital requirement of Rs. 2.5 billion for obtaining a finance-company licence. That figure is a licensing requirement, not a minimum loan size or a measure of how safe an individual product is. Consumers still need to compare the specific agreement, fees, security requirements and repayment schedule.
Licensed finance companies in Sri Lanka
The table below reproduces the legal names and head-office locations from the CBSL licensed finance companies register dated 10 August 2026. Head-office location is not the same as the nearest branch, so use the company website linked from the CBSL register when you need a local office.
| No. | Licensed finance company | Head-office location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abans Finance PLC | Colombo 3 |
| 2 | Alliance Finance Co. PLC | Colombo 7 |
| 3 | AMW Capital Leasing and Finance PLC | Colombo 2 |
| 4 | Asia Asset Finance PLC | Colombo 2 |
| 5 | Assetline Finance PLC | Battaramulla |
| 6 | Associated Motor Finance Co. PLC | Colombo 7 |
| 7 | CBC Finance PLC | Kandy |
| 8 | Central Finance Co. PLC | Colombo 2 |
| 9 | Citizens Development Business Finance PLC | Colombo 10 |
| 10 | Commercial Credit & Finance PLC | Colombo 8 |
| 11 | Dialog Finance PLC | Colombo 3 |
| 12 | Fintrex Finance PLC | Colombo 14 |
| 13 | HNB Finance PLC | Nugegoda |
| 14 | Janashakthi Finance PLC | Colombo 10 |
| 15 | Lanka Credit and Business Finance PLC | Nugegoda |
| 16 | L B Finance PLC | Colombo 7 |
| 17 | LOLC Finance PLC | Rajagiriya |
| 18 | Mahindra Ideal Finance PLC | Colombo 2 |
| 19 | Mercantile Investments & Finance PLC | Colombo 3 |
| 20 | Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka & Finance PLC | Colombo 3 |
| 21 | People's Leasing & Finance PLC | Colombo 8 |
| 22 | PMF Finance PLC | Colombo 3 |
| 23 | Richard Pieris Finance Ltd. | Colombo 2 |
| 24 | Sarvodaya Development Finance PLC | Colombo 8 |
| 25 | Senkadagala Finance PLC | Colombo 3 |
| 26 | Singer Finance (Lanka) PLC | Colombo 3 |
| 27 | Siyapatha Finance PLC | Colombo 8 |
| 28 | SMB Finance PLC | Colombo 3 |
| 29 | Softlogic Finance PLC | Colombo 10 |
| 30 | UB Finance PLC | Colombo 4 |
| 31 | Vallibel Finance PLC | Colombo 3 |
Source date: CBSL register as at 10 August 2026. A company should be checked against the live register before you deposit funds, sign a finance agreement or rely on an old directory.
Finance-company sector data: 2025
The CBSL Annual Economic Review 2025 gives a useful picture of the sector beyond a simple company list. Total assets grew strongly during 2025, and loans and advances became an even larger share of the balance sheet.
| Metric | End 2024 | End 2025 | Change / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total assets | Rs. 1,928.4 bn | Rs. 2,776.7 bn | +44.0% y-o-y |
| Net loans and advances | Rs. 1,428.3 bn | Rs. 2,227.9 bn | +56.0% y-o-y; 80.2% of assets in 2025 |
| Deposits | Rs. 1,056.4 bn | Rs. 1,265.2 bn | +19.8% y-o-y |
| Borrowings | Rs. 305.4 bn | Rs. 849.3 bn | +178.1% y-o-y |
| Gross stage 3 loans ratio | 11.5% | 6.1% | Lower than a year earlier |
| Profit after tax | Rs. 59.0 bn | Rs. 88.5 bn | +49.9% |
Finance leases and vehicle loans represented 64.1% of total loans and advances at end 2025, while loans secured by gold represented 20.9%. This is useful context: the finance-company sector is much broader than unsecured online cash loans.
What changed in the first quarter of 2026?
CBSL’s financial-sector performance update for Q1 2026 shows that finance-company credit growth remained rapid. These are sector-level figures, not a forecast for an individual borrower or company.
| Q1 2026 indicator | CBSL figure |
|---|---|
| Credit growth | +52.4% y-o-y |
| Vehicle-backed lending growth | +52.8% y-o-y |
| Gold-backed lending growth | +69.2% y-o-y |
| Stage 3 loans ratio | 4.4%, down from 8.6% at end Q1 2025 |
| Profit after tax, financial year 2025/26 | +28.8% y-o-y |
| Total capital adequacy ratio | 18.4%, versus 20.9% a year earlier |
How to find finance companies near me
If the goal behind a “finance companies near me” search is a physical branch, start with the regulated-entity check rather than the map result. CBSL reported 1,998 finance-company branches at end 2025, with 1,333 branches — 66.7% — outside the Western Province. That indicates broad regional coverage, but the live branch network can change.
- Open the CBSL licensed finance companies register and confirm the legal company name.
- Use the official website linked from the CBSL register, not an unverified advertisement or copied contact page.
- Open the company’s branch locator or contact page and check the nearest office and opening hours.
- If you are looking for an online loan rather than a branch, compare the legal entity and product terms separately. You can use the Loan24 online lenders directory for service profiles, but it is not a list of licensed finance companies.
Finance companies vs other financial institutions
| Term | What it means for a consumer | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed finance company | A specific non-bank financial institution regulated by CBSL under the finance-company framework. | Legal name on the current CBSL finance-company register. |
| Financial institution | A broader term that can include banks, finance companies and other regulated financial-sector entities. | Which licence or registration category applies to the legal entity. |
| Online lender | A service description for borrowing through a digital channel; it is not, by itself, a CBSL licence category. | The company behind the website, its regulatory status and the final loan agreement. |
| Comparison service | A website or service that helps users compare or reach third-party lenders rather than necessarily issuing the loan itself. | Whether the service lends directly or refers the application elsewhere. |
| Licensed microfinance company | A separate regulated category under the Microfinance Act framework. | The CBSL licensed microfinance company register; see our micro financing guide. |
Deposits and the Sri Lanka Deposit Insurance Scheme
CBSL says it does not legally guarantee finance-company deposits. However, finance companies are required to insure deposit liabilities under the Sri Lanka Deposit Insurance Scheme, subject to specified exceptions. The current CBSL finance-company page states a maximum payable compensation of Rs. 1.1 million per depositor, per institution if the licence of a member institution is cancelled.
How to verify a finance company before borrowing or depositing money
- Match the legal name. A trading name or app name may differ from the company name shown on a licence.
- Check the current CBSL register. A screenshot or old article can become outdated after a merger, licence change or resolution action.
- Use verified contact details. Follow the official website from the regulator’s listing where possible.
- Read the product agreement. Check the interest rate, APR or equivalent disclosure, fees, total repayment, collateral, due dates and late-payment consequences.
- Separate loans from deposits. A company may offer several different products with different risks and protections.
- Keep records. Save the agreement, payment receipts and correspondence in case a complaint is needed.
What to do if you have a complaint
CBSL’s financial-consumer framework requires an internal complaint-handling path, and in May 2026 CBSL launched an online Complaint Management System for consumers dealing with regulated financial service providers. CBSL instructs consumers to complain to the relevant institution first; unresolved or unsatisfactory cases can then be escalated through the CBSL system.
See the CBSL Complaint Management System announcement and the Financial Consumer Protection Regulations overview for the current process and scope.
Frequently asked questions
Sources and methodology
Key figures in this guide come from primary CBSL sources. Market figures are labelled by reporting period so that a 2025 sector statistic is not presented as a live 2026 number.
- CBSL — licensed finance companies (as at 10 August 2026)
- CBSL — Annual Economic Review 2025, condition of the financial system
- CBSL — financial-sector performance in Q1 2026
- CBSL — finance and leasing companies FAQs
- CBSL — Financial Consumer Protection Regulations
- CBSL — Complaint Management System for financial consumers
Loan24 editorial note: Loan24 is not a finance company or financial institution and does not issue loans. The regulatory status of any business should be confirmed with the relevant official register.