VISA CHAMPIONS DIGITAL ENABLEMENT AND GLOBAL OPPORTUNITY FOR SMES AT SCALE UP 2.0 NATIONAL SME FORUM 2026
Colombo, Sri Lanka, 17, 2026: Visa reinforced its commitment to advancing Sri Lanka’s small and medium enterprise (SME) growth agenda by supporting Scale Up 2.0, National SME Forum 2026, organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. The forum brought together SME owners, entrepreneurs, policymakers, financial institutions, corporates, investors and development partners to explore practical pathways for strengthening the country’s SME ecosystem and enabling businesses to scale with greater confidence.
With “Connected. Competitive. Ready to Grow” as central theme, Scale Up 2.0 focused on enabling Sri Lankan SMEs access new markets, build stronger business networks, improve competitiveness and prepare for sustainable growth. The forum featured discussions on market access and value-chain integration, standards and certification, investment readiness, scaling mid-sized businesses and digital innovation.
Visa supported the forum as Platinum Partner. Representing Visa, Avanthi Colombage, Country Manager, Sri Lanka and Maldives, Visa, highlighted the increasingly important role of technology, digital commerce and secure payments infrastructure in helping SMEs operate more efficiently, reach wider markets and participate with greater confidence in the global economy.
“SMEs are at the heart of Sri Lanka’s economic resilience and future growth. Across industries, we are seeing SMEs become more ambitious, more digitally aware and more connected to opportunities beyond their immediate markets. And their next phase of growth will be shaped by how effectively they adopt digital tools to scale, compete and access new opportunities. At Visa, we are committed to supporting this growth through innovative payment solutions, ecosystem partnerships, financial literacy and digital capability-building initiatives that help small businesses operate faster, reach further and compete with greater confidence,” Avanthi said.
Avanthi Colombage also highlighted several trends shaping the future of SMEs, including growing demand for simpler business solutions, seamless digital experiences, easier access to working capital and reliable cross-border payment capabilities. She noted that the SME sector is increasingly diverse, with businesses across retail, tourism, technology, exports and the creator economy requiring solutions designed around their individual operating models and growth ambitions.
As more Sri Lankan SMEs look beyond domestic markets, the ability to buy, sell and transact across borders is becoming increasingly important. Digital commerce and globally connected payment infrastructure can help businesses access customers and suppliers beyond their immediate markets, while enabling faster, simpler and more transparent transactions.
Avanthi added that SMEs are increasingly looking beyond individual financial products and seeking long-term partners that understand their needs and can support their growth journey.
“SMEs are benefitted by partners like Visa who can help them pay and be paid with ease and security. When we help a small business accept a payment, reach a new customer, access a new market or operate more efficiently, we are enabling much more than a transaction. We are enabling opportunity for SMEs to flourish.” she said.
Mr. Krishan Balendra, Chairperson, The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said,“Scale Up 2.0 was designed to move the SME conversation from aspiration to action. Sri Lanka’s entrepreneurs need stronger linkages to markets, finance, technology, standards and strategic partnerships if they are to grow with confidence and compete beyond traditional boundaries. As The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, we are committed to creating platforms that bring the right stakeholders together and help SMEs access the knowledge, networks and opportunities required to scale sustainably,”
Hon. Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Deputy Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development, Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development said, “Sri Lanka’s SME sector holds immense potential to become one of the strongest drivers of inclusive growth, exports, innovation and employment. There is a significant untapped economic opportunity waiting to be unlocked across local and global markets, but realising it will require future-ready businesses, stronger digital adoption, improved access to finance and closer collaboration across government, industry, payments and development partners. Our focus is to create the enabling environment for SMEs to compete, scale and contribute meaningfully to the country’s next phase of economic growth,”
Visa’s participation in Scale Up 2.0 reflects its continued focus on supporting the digital enablement of businesses and strengthening an ecosystem in which Sri Lankan SMEs can connect, compete and grow. As the country’s SME sector continues to evolve, collaboration between the public and private sectors, financial institutions, industry bodies and technology providers will remain important in helping entrepreneurs turn ambition into sustainable economic opportunity.
About Visa Inc. Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable, and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere, and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.
