Sri Lanka’s top 100 brands hit record Rs. 652 billion, up 17 percent
EconomyNext: Sri Lanka’s top 100 brands have surged 17 percent to reach a combined brand value 652 billion rupees, surpassing the pre‑crisis 2019 peak of Rs. 630 billion, according to the Sri Lanka 100 2026 report by Brand Finance, the global leader in brand valuation.
“Sri Lanka’s brands have demonstrated remarkable resilience. Surpassing the country’s pre-crisis peak is more than a financial milestone; it reflects renewed confidence in the economy and the institutions driving its recovery,” Ruchi Gunewardene, Chairman, Brand Finance Lanka, said.
“While banking continues to anchor the nation’s brand landscape, the next phase of growth will depend on greater diversification, continued digital transformation and the successful adoption of AI across industries.”
The banking sector contributed 42 percent, or Rs. 275 billion, of the total brand value in the ranking, rising 14 percent year on year.
Six banks dominate the country’s top ten most valuable brands, highlighting the sector’s role in economic growth and financial stability.
State-owned Bank of Ceylon (BOC) (brand value at Rs. 65.5 billion) retains its position as Sri Lanka’s most valuable brand for the second consecutive year.
Commercial Bank (brand value up 18 percent to Rs. 54.9 billion) is in second place, recognised for its leading digital payments infrastructure and as Sri Lanka’s largest interbank-payments processor.
Other notable banking brands in the Sri Lanka 100 2026 report are Sampath Bank (brand value up 5 percent to Rs. 26 billion), the first Sri Lankan bank to integrate PayPal withdrawals, while Nations Trust Bank (brand value up 35 percent to Rs. 9.9 billion) which completed the acquisition of HSBC Sri Lanka’s retail banking business, consolidated its position within the sector.
Meanwhile, Dialog was the third most valuable Sri Lankan brand in 2026 (brand value up 16 percent to Rs. 41.1 billion) emerging as Sri Lanka’s strongest brand with Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 89.4/100 and an AAA brand strength rating, overtaking Keells (brand value up 16 percent to Rs. 26.4 billion) now second strongest brand.
Keells slipped to second place as the strongest Sri Lankan brand With a BSI score of 88.5/100 and an AAA brand strength rating.
Commercial Bank retained its position as the third strongest (BSI: 87/100, AAA brand strength rating).
Freshly listed, up and coming PickMe (brand value up 11 percent to Rs. 4.8 billion) continued to demonstrate how local innovation can outperform global competitors by addressing domestic market needs.
The homegrown mobility platform strengthened its position through digital payments, AI powered pricing and demand forecasting, multilingual AI customer support, and enhanced safety features, cementing its role in Sri Lanka’s digital economy.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s private sector is re-emerging as a compelling partner for foreign businesses/investors, with the country’s leading brands reaching record valuations and reflecting growing business confidence after the economic crisis. The rise in the combined value of Sri Lanka’s top 100 brands beyond pre-crisis levels underscores the resilience and strengthening of the corporate sector, particularly in banking, which continues to drive economic activity. This momentum is creating expanding business/investment opportunities for foreign businesses/investors across a broad range of sectors, including financial services, tourism, manufacturing, logistics, information technology, renewable energy, healthcare and agribusiness. As economic stability improves and investment reforms continue, Sri Lanka is increasingly positioning itself as a regional hub for trade, services and value-added manufacturing. Beyond greenfield investments, the growth of local enterprises is also opening the door to joint ventures, strategic partnerships and technology collaborations. Foreign companies can leverage the expertise, market knowledge and established networks of Sri Lankan firms while introducing capital, innovation and global market access. Such partnerships are particularly attractive in export-oriented industries, digital services and infrastructure development, where local capabilities can be combined with international experience to accelerate growth. With investor confidence steadily improving and private sector expansion gathering pace, Sri Lanka’s economic recovery is evolving into a platform for long-term business collaboration, offering foreign businesses/investors opportunities to participate in one of South Asia’s emerging growth stories.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20260807Z_1 |