Sri Lanka has officially launched PayPal services way ahead of Pakistan despite declaring bankruptcy just a few years ago.
The announcement was made on May 15 at an event attended by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, with the service initially being rolled out through Bank of Ceylon, Commercial Bank of Ceylon and Sampath Bank.
Additional banks are expected to join the platform in the coming months.
The expansion represents one of the biggest developments for Sri Lanka’s digital sector in recent years. For more than a decade, businesses and freelancers in the country had pushed for broader PayPal functionality.
Previously, Sri Lankan users could make payments through PayPal but faced restrictions on receiving funds, limiting opportunities for exporters, freelancers and online service providers.
The initiative is expected to benefit thousands of freelancers, technology professionals, entrepreneurs and SMEs by providing access to a globally recognized payment platform and improving connectivity with international markets.
The development is particularly important for Sri Lanka’s SME sector, which accounts for roughly 52 percent of the country’s GDP. Easier access to international payment systems will help local businesses participate more actively in global trade while increasing formal foreign currency inflows into the economy.
The launch also highlights the growing competition among South Asian economies to attract digital businesses and freelance talent.
Access to platforms such as PayPal is increasingly viewed as a big component of a modern digital economy.
The development is notable for Pakistan, where successive governments have attempted for more than a decade to bring PayPal to the country to support freelancers, IT exporters and digital businesses.
Past governments announced plans for a PayPal-linked payment solution through an international partner, but nothing definitive has happened yet.
PayPal has yet to establish direct operations in Pakistan.
Due to countless delays, Pakistani freelancers continue to rely on alternatives such as Payoneer and other international payment platforms to get paid.
Another big failure of incompetent minister.
Paypal will never come to Pakistan due to unfriendly business environment.
Not a failure at all . We’d rather not have it. It’s nothing great.
Peter thiel , the guy that owns it openly hates us
Theil doesn’t own PayPal. He was one of the founders but they sold the company to eBay decades ago
Thiel still controls it. Ever heard of PayPal mafia?
Oh for crying out loud. We don’t care about PayPal. It’s own creator Peter thiel openly hates us.
He is well known to support israel and had openly shown that he Hates Muslims. Why are we focused on PayPal in 2026 as that’s something great ?
Pakistan was the result of a long ‘struggle’ spearheaded by Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. It will continue to ‘struggle’ till someone with the caliber of the great Quaid emerges. Goofs will not allow anything positive to happen here. Paypal is just one small example.
Correct and incorrect at the same time.
While it is true that Quaid did struggle. He faced alot of resistance from our own people.
Only Sindh, Bengal (now bangladesh) and kpk supported pakistan .
Punjn resisted . Like alot.. at the end Punjab got most resources but it was bangladesh people who sacrificed the most for pakistan