Sampath Bank debuts Visa payWave in Sri Lanka

From left: Chief Guest for the event and Former National Cricketer/Former ICC match referee Roshan Mahanama receiving the first Visa payWave Credit Card from Sampath Bank Managing Director Aravinda Perera in the presence of Sampath Bank Chief Operating Officer Nanda Fernando and Sampath Bank Senior Deputy General Manager – Consumer Banking Tharaka Ranwala 

From left: Sampath Bank Initial Head of Card Centre Kumar Weerasuriya receiving the Visa payWave Credit Card from Sampath Bank Chief Operating Officer Nanda Fernando as Sampath Bank Managing Director Aravinda Perera and Sampath Bank Senior Deputy General Manager – Consumer Banking Tharaka Ranwala look on

Reaffirming its leadership position in introducing many firsts to Sri Lanka, Sampath Bank introduced an innovative feature for contactless payments with the unveiling of ‘Visa payWave’ credit cards, the first contactless card in Sri Lanka. The Sampath Bank Visa payWave Infinite credit card was launched at a grand ceremony hosted on 9 and 10 July at the newly opened, Shangri-La Hotel, Hambantota.

Over the two-day event, Sampath Bank hosted 100 clients and the card was launched in the presence of Chief Guest Roshan Mahanama, former national cricketer and reputed match Referee of International Cricket Council, Guest of Honour – the initial Head of Card Centre in Sampath Bank and pioneer of introducing international credit cards to Sri Lanka Kumar Weerasuriya, representatives from Visa Inc. and officials from Sampath Bank PLC. 

Warmly welcoming their guests to the luxurious Resort and Spa – Shangri La, Hambantota on 9 July, Sampath Bank held a series of activities throughout the day leading up to the night of the launch.With a landscape of colourful lights and modern melodies from a live band, Sampath Bank set the ambience for an exclusive gala dinner on 9 July during which guests witnessed the launch of Visa payWave for the very first time in Sri Lanka. 

Following the night of fun, glamour and gala, all 100 guestswere issued their own Visa payWave Infinite credit card during a refreshing brunch on 10 July. Guests later enjoyed the opportunity to test their golfing skills at Shangri-La’s premier 18 hole golf-course, offering a spectacular view of the green landscape.

With Visa payWave, customers and merchants can now enjoy a range of unprecedented benefits – primarily the benefit and convenience of not having to stand in long lines at merchant outlets. With a Visa payWave card, customers have to simply tap their Visa payWave card at a payWave enabled terminal to pay for their purchases and the transaction will be completed in a matter of seconds. For transactions up to Rs. 5,000, Visa payWave cardholders can use their contactless cards without having to enter the pin or sign transaction receipts. Customers can also enjoy their shopping experience oversees as Visa payWave is accepted in many foreign countries. 

The Visa payWave enabled contactless cards ensure that transactions are secure, as the card never leaves the hands of the customer thereby reducing the risk of card loss and fraud. It also reduces queueing time for customers as it is a faster way to pay. Whilst Sampath Bank has launched Visa payWave exclusively for its Sampath Infinite Credit Card holders, the bank aims to further extend this unique feature to all of its credit and debit cardholders in the near future. 

Sampath Bank PLC Senior Deputy General Manager – Consumer Banking Tharaka Ranwala  remarking on this launch said, “Being the first bank in Sri Lanka to roll out contactless payments with Visa payWave, strongly illustrates the bank’s pro-activeness to embrace world-wide technologies in order to provide our customers and merchants with new experiences of convenience and satisfaction. It is further a privilege to partner with Visa as Visa payWave will bring a significant shift in the dimension of card payment methods. This will further add value to the shopping experience of customers and merchants alike, whilst opening more windows of opportunities to take the banking industry to newer levels of innovation, premium convenience and security.” 

Visa Group Country Manager, India and South Asia T.R. Ramachandran further remarked, “We congratulate Sampath Bank on pioneering the initiative to launch the first Visa contactless card in Sri Lanka. Contactless cards will play a key role in shaping the future of the payments landscape in Sri Lanka, encouraging the replacement of cash making payments faster, easier, more convenient and secure.” 

SampathCards continues to offer new products that cater to the needs of convenience, time-saving and security of customers, whilst trail blazing as the most inclusive and welcoming credit card in the country. 

Sampath Bank’s effort in introducing Visa PayWave for the first time to the banking industry of Sri Lanka has set a benchmark in customers’ method of payments and their shopping experience. This launch empowers Sampath Bank to continue its leadership in offering incomparable banking services to its customers and the country. For more information on this exclusive credit card, please call 011 2300604 or log on to www.sampath.lk.