Economy

Govt to impose 18% VAT on cross-border digital services provided via electronic platforms

Published

10 months ago

July 8, 2025

The government will introduce an 18% Value Added Tax (VAT) on digital services provided by non-resident companies to local consumers, effective October 1, 2025.

Accordingly, foreign service providers are required to register for VAT in Sri Lanka and collect the tax on their services.

The VAT law was updated through the VAT (Amendment) Act No. 4 of 2025, which implemented VAT on digital services.

The Inland Revenue Department has also published detailed guidelines through the Gazette Notification 2443/30, on this new digital tax.

Accordingly, the new VAT rules define terms such as “electronic platform” and “non-resident person,” and impose obligations on foreign digital service providers to charge and remit VAT on various services, including streaming, online gaming, and software as a service (SaaS).

Electronic marketplace facilitators may also be liable for VAT reporting on third-party sales.

According to the guidelines, the non-resident must first obtain a Tax Identification Number (TIN) before proceeding to acquire VAT registration. VAT registration is required only if the value of supply in the last 12 months exceeds Rs. 60 million per annum or Rs. 15 million in the last three months.

Non-compliance with registration requirements could also lead to penalties from the Inland Revenue Department, according to the new regulations.

With the enforcement of new regulations following services are likely to become liable to VAT collections:

E-commerce Services
Cloud Computing
Software as a service (SaaS)
Cybersecurity Services
Digital Marketing & Advertising
IT support & Managed Services
Streaming Services
Fin Tech
Subscription & Membership Website
E-commerce Platforms
Social Media Platforms
On Demand Service Platforms
Content Sharing Platforms
Cloud Collaboration Platforms
Market Place Platforms
Gaming Platforms
Blockchain & NFT Platforms
Apps for hotel bookings and ticket reservations

Economy

Sri Lanka to Launch First Digital Motor Insurance Card from May 1

Published

1 day ago

April 25, 2026

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Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development has announced that the country’s first digital motor insurance card will be introduced from May 1.

The Ministry stated that this initiative represents a significant step toward advancing national digitalization while also enhancing public safety.

By replacing physical plastic cards, the move is also expected to contribute to environmental sustainability across the country.

The Ministry added that the digital motor insurance card will be officially launched in collaboration with the Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka, the Insurance Association of Sri Lanka, and the Sri Lanka Police.

Economy

Sri Lanka Confirms Hackers Diverted USD 2.5M Meant for Australian Debt Repayment

Published

3 days ago

April 24, 2026

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Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance has revealed that cyber hackers infiltrated the computer system of the External Resources Department, leading to the fraudulent diversion of a foreign debt repayment of nearly USD 2.5 million intended for Australia.

Addressing the issue, Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, said the intrusion was first detected in January 2026, when officials became aware that hackers had attempted to gain unauthorized access to the External Resources Department’s systems and compromise them. Upon identifying the threat, the Ministry immediately alerted law‑enforcement authorities.

He said reports were lodged with the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SL‑CERT) and the Computer Crimes Investigation Division of the Sri Lanka Police to investigate the attempted system breach. In parallel, ministry officials instructed the External Resources Department to conduct an internal review to determine whether any further damage had occurred beyond the initial incident.

Subsequent investigations revealed that the cyberattack had taken place earlier than first detected. A review of previous months’ transactions uncovered that hackers had intercepted email communications linked to a government‑to‑government debt repayment involving Australia.

Economy

Hackers hit Sri Lanka Finance Ministry as USD 2.5M storm erupts

Published

4 days ago

April 23, 2026

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The Government is facing scrutiny following reports that $ 2.5 million (nearly Rs. 800 million) of Treasury funds was diverted during a foreign debt repayment, with the amount yet to reach the intended creditor country.

The funds were part of a bilateral payment to Australia amounting $ 22.9 million, with settlement due in September 2025.

The Treasury has appointed a Technical Investigation Committee to probe a suspected fraudulent payment involving $ 2.5 million linked to a bilateral transaction with Australia. The committee includes two Deputy Secretaries to the Treasury and will be co-chaired by A.N. Hapugala and S.S. Mudalige. The other members are National Planning Department Director General K.T.I. Premaratne, Legal Affairs Department Additional Director General A.K.D.D. Arandara, and Information Technology Management Department Assistant Director E.D. Shirantha.

The Committee has been tasked with probing the risk of fraudulent payment instructions received via email, which may have contributed to the disappearance of the funds remitted to Australia. It has been directed to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the incident and submit its report at the earliest.

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