The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has once again underscored its standing as one of Sri Lankaโs most formidable financial institutions, winning six awards โ the highest number won by a Sri Lankan bank at the 2026 Asian Banking & Finance (ABF) Awards in Singapore โ across three key segments.
Presented at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, the six-award haul spanned Retail Banking, Wholesale Banking, and Corporate & Investment Banking, reflecting the Bankโs strength across customer segments, technology-led innovation, sustainability, and complex financial solutions.
In the Retail Banking category, Commercial Bank was named โPrivate Bank of the Yearโ and โSME Bank of the Year,โ recognising both its sector-leading financial performance and its sustained leadership in supporting Sri Lankaโs SME sector. The Bank achieved a significant milestone in 2025, becoming the first private sector bank in the country to grow its loan book beyond Rs. 2 trillion, recording growth of Rs. 541 billion over 12 months while doubling its annual asset growth over the preceding year and leading peers across multiple key performance indicators. Its SME banking credentials are equally compelling, having been ranked the largest lender to the sector in Sri Lanka for five consecutive years by the Ministry of Finance. The Bankโs commitment to innovation and sustainability was recognised in the Wholesale Banking segment, where it received the titles of โSri Lanka Domestic AI Initiative of the Yearโ and โGreen Financing Bank of the Year.โ The AI award acknowledges the Bankโs pioneering AI-powered SME Credit Underwriting Solution, which has transformed credit evaluation processes, while the green financing accolade reflects its leadership in advancing sustainable lending and environmentally responsible banking practices.
Commercial Bank Managing Director/CEO Sanath Manatunge said: โThese awards are a powerful affirmation of the strength and balance of our strategy, one that is anchored in financial performance, deep customer relationships, technology-driven innovation and an unwavering commitment to sustainable growth.โ
โWhat makes this recognition especially meaningful is its breadth, spanning private banking, SME banking, AI-led transformation, green finance and sophisticated corporate transactions. It reflects the collective effort of our teams and the trust placed in us by our customers, and reinforces our role as a bank that not only leads in performance, but also in shaping the future of banking in Sri Lanka and beyond.โ
Source : Daily News
