KOKO makes winning debut with Overall Gold at LankaPay Awards

KOKO, Sri Lanka’s BNPL platform and fintech innovator, won the Overall Gold Award for Excellence in Digital Payments together with three category Gold Awards at the Grand Finale of the LankaPay Technnovation Awards 2026, marking a standout result in the company’s first year of participation.

The event was attended by key leaders from Sri Lanka’s digital economy ecosystem, including Hon. Eng. Eranga Weeraratne, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Central Bank Governor and Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Chief Advisor to the President on Digital Economy.

Alongside the top honor, KOKO received Gold for Best Enabler for LankaSign Digital Signatures, Most Popular Digital Payment Solution, and Best Digital Payment App for Retail Payments. The company was also shortlisted for Best Institution for Financial Inclusivity. Together, these recognitions highlight KOKO’s growing contribution to Sri Lanka’s digital payments landscape and reinforce its position as a leading force in the country’s evolving fintech ecosystem.

The wins come at a significant moment for both KOKO and the wider industry. With LankaPay featuring a fintech category this year, it continues to formally recognize the contribution of fintech players to Sri Lanka’s digital payments landscape.

KOKO also achieved an 846% year-on-year increase in users and merchants, reinforcing its position as one of the fastest-growing digital payment businesses in the country.

“KOKO’s achievement at this year’s LankaPay Technnovation Awards is a reflection of the progress being made across Sri Lanka’s digital payments ecosystem. It is encouraging to see fintech innovators contributing in ways that strengthen adoption and improve customer experience, which is directly supporting the continued advancement of inclusive digital financial services in the country,” commented Channa de Silva, CEO of LankaPay.

Today, KOKO serves roughly 2 million users and is available across approximately 6,500 merchants, reflecting the breadth of its presence in everyday commerce.

Michael Sathasivam, Regional CEO of KOKO, said: “Winning the Overall Gold Award for Excellence in Digital Payments together with three additional Gold Awards is a significant milestone for KOKO, especially in our first year participating in the LankaPay Technnovation Awards. This recognition reflects the scale of the progress we have made in building a payment platform that is trusted by consumers, valued by merchants, and increasingly relevant to the future of digital payments in Sri Lanka.”

Source: Hiru News