HNB enables debit cards on Google Wallet, extending everyday digital payments in Sri Lanka with BPC

Hatton National Bank PLC (HNB), one of Sri Lanka’s premier private sector commercial banks, has expanded its digital payments offering by enabling its debit cards to be added to Google Wallet, leveraging BPC SmartVista. The rollout allows HNB customers to use their current debit cards for more convenient digital transactions, marking another step in the bank’s drive to make everyday banking and payments simpler, more accessible and more relevant to how Sri Lankans live and transact.

As one of only three private sector banks in Sri Lanka designated as a Domestic Systemically Important Bank, HNB plays a critical role in the country’s financial system and continues to invest in digital transformation to serve households, SMEs, corporates and institutions across every province. This ambition aligns closely with Sri Lanka’s broader push toward a more digital economy by 2030, where banks are expected to provide secure, seamless and widely accessible payment experiences at scale.

The latest Google wallet enablement strengthens HNB’s ability to do exactly that. With Google Wallet tokenisation now live through the Google Pay wallet app, eligible HNB debit cardholders can add their cards securely and enjoy faster, more convenient payments in-store, online and in apps. Customers can tap to pay at contactless-enabled terminals using their phone, make payments through supported websites and apps without re-entering card details each time, and use supported smartwatches/fitbits for quick payments on the move. By extending its debit cards into Google Wallet, HNB gives customers a more mobile-first payment experience that combines everyday convenience with stronger security, as each card is converted into a protected digital version and each transaction uses secure payment credentials rather than exposing the original card details. Rolled out without disruption to existing features, the update marks another step in HNB’s wider digital drive to make banking more intuitive, more accessible and more deeply embedded in how Sri Lankans live and transact.

The Google Wallet enablement builds on HNB’s broader card and payments modernisation programme with BPC, which has already upgraded key areas of the bank’s payments business, including switching, debit and credit card management and issuing, and payment acceptance through the bank’s wide network. By consolidating on the next-generation SmartVista platform, HNB established a more unified and scalable operating model across its business lines. The platform has enabled the bank to streamline card lifecycle management, accelerate the launch of modern card programmes, improve reporting and customer profiling, strengthen back-office oversight, and enhance ATM and POS acceptance and management.

That wider transformation has already delivered a measurable impact. HNB now manages around 2.5 million cards through a unified platform, making card lifecycle management easier and giving the bank more flexibility to extend innovative digital products quickly. The bank also connected more than 600 ATMs and expanded payment acceptance with internationally branded cards across its 30,000+ POS network. According to the bank, acquiring-side upgrades helped drive transaction volumes to 63 million in 2025, up 39.4% from the previous period, while its card portfolio recorded 21% year-on-year growth.

The Google wallet integration builds on that momentum. HNB reports customer satisfaction at 87.4%, with digital users now at 2 million, a figure the bank expects to rise further as new payment functionality becomes available to more customers. Together, these developments strengthen HNB’s position as a digital disruptor in Sri Lanka’s banking sector, enabling it to deliver faster, more seamless experiences while supporting broader participation in the digital economy.

“As Sri Lanka works towards building a USD 15 billion digital economy by 2030, we believe HNB has a responsibility to help lead that transformation,” said Gauthami Niranjan, HNB vice president – Cards, HNB. “This Google wallet introduction is part of how we make banking simpler, more useful and more natural in the background of everyday life. With BPC as a trusted partner and future-ready SmartVista solutions behind us, we are well placed to keep innovating and delivering modern card programmes to serve customers more intuitively, and widen access to secure digital financial services across Sri Lanka.”

Imran Vilcassim, global chief commercial officer, Digital Banking, BPC, said: “This milestone shows the value of building the right future-proven foundation first. With SmartVista Card Management in place, HNB is able to extend its card proposition into new digital payment environments with speed and confidence. That puts the bank in a strong position to keep innovating, while giving Sri Lankan consumers access to payment experiences they deserve.”

Hatton National Bank PLC (HNB), one of Sri Lanka’s premier private sector commercial banks, has expanded its digital payments offering by enabling its debit cards to be added to Google Wallet, leveraging BPC SmartVista. The rollout allows HNB customers to use their current debit cards for more convenient digital transactions, marking another step in the bank’s drive to make everyday banking and payments simpler, more accessible and more relevant to how Sri Lankans live and transact.

As one of only three private sector banks in Sri Lanka designated as a Domestic Systemically Important Bank, HNB plays a critical role in the country’s financial system and continues to invest in digital transformation to serve households, SMEs, corporates and institutions across every province. This ambition aligns closely with Sri Lanka’s broader push toward a more digital economy by 2030, where banks are expected to provide secure, seamless and widely accessible payment experiences at scale.

The latest Google wallet enablement strengthens HNB’s ability to do exactly that. With Google Wallet tokenisation now live through the Google Pay wallet app, eligible HNB debit cardholders can add their cards securely and enjoy faster, more convenient payments in-store, online and in apps. Customers can tap to pay at contactless-enabled terminals using their phone, make payments through supported websites and apps without re-entering card details each time, and use supported smartwatches/fitbits for quick payments on the move. By extending its debit cards into Google Wallet, HNB gives customers a more mobile-first payment experience that combines everyday convenience with stronger security, as each card is converted into a protected digital version and each transaction uses secure payment credentials rather than exposing the original card details. Rolled out without disruption to existing features, the update marks another step in HNB’s wider digital drive to make banking more intuitive, more accessible and more deeply embedded in how Sri Lankans live and transact.

The Google Wallet enablement builds on HNB’s broader card and payments modernisation programme with BPC, which has already upgraded key areas of the bank’s payments business, including switching, debit and credit card management and issuing, and payment acceptance through the bank’s wide network. By consolidating on the next-generation SmartVista platform, HNB established a more unified and scalable operating model across its business lines. The platform has enabled the bank to streamline card lifecycle management, accelerate the launch of modern card programmes, improve reporting and customer profiling, strengthen back-office oversight, and enhance ATM and POS acceptance and management.

That wider transformation has already delivered a measurable impact. HNB now manages around 2.5 million cards through a unified platform, making card lifecycle management easier and giving the bank more flexibility to extend innovative digital products quickly. The bank also connected more than 600 ATMs and expanded payment acceptance with internationally branded cards across its 30,000+ POS network. According to the bank, acquiring-side upgrades helped drive transaction volumes to 63 million in 2025, up 39.4% from the previous period, while its card portfolio recorded 21% year-on-year growth.

The Google wallet integration builds on that momentum. HNB reports customer satisfaction at 87.4%, with digital users now at 2 million, a figure the bank expects to rise further as new payment functionality becomes available to more customers. Together, these developments strengthen HNB’s position as a digital disruptor in Sri Lanka’s banking sector, enabling it to deliver faster, more seamless experiences while supporting broader participation in the digital economy.

“As Sri Lanka works towards building a USD 15 billion digital economy by 2030, we believe HNB has a responsibility to help lead that transformation,” said Gauthami Niranjan, HNB vice president – Cards, HNB. “This Google wallet introduction is part of how we make banking simpler, more useful and more natural in the background of everyday life. With BPC as a trusted partner and future-ready SmartVista solutions behind us, we are well placed to keep innovating and delivering modern card programmes to serve customers more intuitively, and widen access to secure digital financial services across Sri Lanka.”

Imran Vilcassim, global chief commercial officer, Digital Banking, BPC, said: “This milestone shows the value of building the right future-proven foundation first. With SmartVista Card Management in place, HNB is able to extend its card proposition into new digital payment environments with speed and confidence. That puts the bank in a strong position to keep innovating, while giving Sri Lankan consumers access to payment experiences they deserve.”